North Korea: President Trump’s nuclear button boast the 'spasm of a lunatic'

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption North Korea just called Trump's nuclear tweet the 'spasm of a lunatic' North Korea is continuing its war of words, calling President Trump's nuclear button tweet the 'spasm of a lunatic.'

North Korean state media on Tuesday called President Trump’s boast of having a bigger nuclear button than its leader Kim Jong Un the “spasm of a lunatic.”

Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers’ Party's newspaper, spoke out in an editorial after Trump tweeted on Jan. 3: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”

Trump’s tweet came a day after Kim said in a speech: “The United States should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table,” according to the Associated Press. Kim claimed the weapons were capable of reaching the entire U.S. mainland.

The comment followed an escalating war of words between Trump and Kim, amid global concerns that nuclear war could break out.

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Trump on NYE: 'We'll see' about Kim Jong Un's nuclear claim At a lavish New Year's Eve party at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago club, the president promised 2018 would be fantastic. He also briefly addresses the leader of North Korea's claims that he has a nuclear button on his desk.

The United States and Canada host a meeting Tuesday in Vancouver aimed at raising pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

Foreign ministers and officials from the U.S. and 19 nations that fought on its side during the 1950–1953 Korean War attended the meeting, hosted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Canadian counterpart, Chrystia Freeland.

The meeting was announced after Pyongyang tested its biggest intercontinental ballistic missile in November.

Delegates were discussing ways to ensure enforcement of United Nations sanctions, including limiting North Korea’s access to refined petroleum products, crude oil and industrial goods, Reuters reported.

The gathering comes after North Korea recently restored a suspended military hotline, held face-to-face talks with South Korea for the first time in two years and agreed to take part in February's Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Japan's national broadcaster NHK on Tuesday mistakenly sent a text-message alert saying that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile aimed at the nation. The error message, which was quickly retracted, came days after an emergency missile alert was accidentally sent to residents in Hawaii.

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