The Trump administration talked tough against North Korea yesterday, suggesting the U.S. could launch a pre-emptive military strike against the isolationist nation as dictator Kim Jong Un tries to develop more sophisticated weapons, including nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the West Coast.

“North Korea is behaving very badly,” President Trump tweeted yesterday. “They have been ‘playing’ the United States for years. China has done little to help!”

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson emphatically took the possibility of negotiations off the table yesterday while speaking in South Korea.

“Let me be very clear: the policy of strategic patience has ended,” said Tillerson. “We are exploring a new range of diplomatic, security and economic measures. All options are on the table.”

That includes military action, not necessarily limited to just a retaliatory strike, he added.

“Obviously if North Korea takes actions that threaten South Korean forces or our own forces, that would be met with (an) appropriate response,” said Tillerson. “If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe requires action, that option is on the table.”

Military experts were still trying to decipher whether the Trump administration’s stronger stance was just rhetoric or a serious shift in its outlook toward the volatile North Korean government.

Jim Walsh, a North Korea expert at MIT’s Security Studies Program, told the Herald the administration just launched a full review of U.S. policy toward the unpredictable country last month.

“I think obviously it’s bluster and sending signals because they don’t have a policy,” said Walsh. “If you’re in the middle of a policy review, it means by definition you haven’t decided what you’re going to do.”

Walsh also noted that South Koreans are electing a new president in May, and any U.S. policy toward the North would ideally be crafted with input and approval from the new administration in the South.

“That leads you to believe it’s a lot of talk,” said Walsh.

Meanwhile, Trump hosted German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House yesterday, but a joint press conference took an unexpected twist when a German reporter asked the president about his self-proclaimed allegations that President Obama surveilled him inside Trump Tower.

“As far as wiretapping, I guess, by this past administration — at least we have something in common, perhaps,” Trump said to laughter, as Merkel shot a perplexed look at him.

Trump was referring to revelations in 2013 from documents obtained and released by Edward Snowden that showed the National Security Agency listened in on Merkel’s cellphone conversations. German newspapers have reported that Obama had signed off on the plan.

Despite the wisecrack, Trump faces a very serious deadline on Monday to turn over evidence of his wiretapping claims to the House Intelligence Committee.

FBI Director James B. Comey, who is also scheduled to testify before the committee, is expected to be grilled on the topic.

Trump also touted a congressional victory yesterday, telling reporters he has swayed more Republicans to support the proposed replacement plan for Obamacare.

“We have a lot of yeses coming,” said Trump. “It’s all coming together.”

But it’s still unclear if Republicans have enough support in the House to beat back Freedom Caucus conservatives who have cast the plan as “Obamacare Lite.”

“I just want to let the world know I am 100 percent in favor,” said Trump.

“We’re going to have a health care plan that’s going to be second to none.”

Herald wire services contributed to this report.