U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a news briefing at the White House, in Washington, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
September 17, 2017 - 6:49 AM
SOMERSET, N.J. - The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):
9:40 a.m.
America's ambassador to the United Nations is raising the prospect of U.S. military action against North Korea if the North continues its missile and nuclear tests.
Nikki Haley says North Korea will be "destroyed" if it continues with what she describes as "reckless" behaviour.
Haley tells CNN's "State of the Union" that the U.N. Security Council has basically exhausted its diplomatic options for dealing with North Korea.
If diplomacy fails, she says Defence Secretary Jim Mattis "will take care of it."
North Korea will be high on the agenda during the U.N. General Assembly session in New York this coming week.
Haley says President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" threat against North Korea wasn't an empty threat. She says war is undesirable but adds that "something has got to be done" if North Korea continues to threaten the U.S. and its allies.
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9:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump says he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (jah-yihn) have discussed North Korea in their latest call.
And Trump tweets that he's asked Moon about "Rocket Man" — an apparent reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (kim jawng oon).
North Korea has launched a trio of missiles in recent weeks and tested a bomb that was its most powerful to date.
Trump also says long gas lines are forming in North Korea, calling it "too bad." New U.N. sanctions cut oil exports to North Korea.
The White House says Trump and Moon are committed to continuing to take steps to strengthen deterrence and defence capabilities, and maximize economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea. They plan to meet this week at the U.N. General Assembly.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017