Rep. Jim Himes James (Jim) Andres HimesMany Democrats want John Bolton's testimony, but Pelosi stays mum SEC's Clayton demurs on firing of Manhattan US attorney he would replace Democrats face tough questions with Bolton MORE (D-Conn.) on Tuesday dismissed President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE's assertion that his nuclear launch button is "much bigger" than that of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying that it "really doesn't matter" what the president says anymore.

"We've gotten to a place — a very weird place — where it really doesn't matter what the president of the United States says anymore, because it is so bizarre, strange, not true, infantile," Himes said on CNN.

"We've just never lived in a country where what the president of the United States says doesn't really matter," he added.

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Himes's comments came after Trump warned that the United States's nuclear launch button is "more powerful" than the one Kim claimed this week to possess, and that it would function if necessary.

Kim claimed in his New Year's Day address this week that he had a nuclear launch button at his desk, and that the world would have to accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state.

Trump's tweet appeared to dismiss Kim's assertion. Himes suggested that Trump's tweet was an attempt to "goad" North Korea.

"Why would you want to goad this unpredictable leader of North Korea to maybe demonstrate his capabilities?" Himes said. "That would get real very quickly."