Trump: The U.S. Will Impose More Sanctions on North Korea

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced that more sanctions are forthcoming against North Korea in response to its latest missile test. According to Reuters, Trump tweeted on Wednesday, December 8, that he had discussed North Korea's recent missile test with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The U.S. President emphasized that additional sanctions would be imposed on North Korea. In his tweets, Trump stated that he had talked with the Chinese President about North Korea's 'provocative actions' and added, 'Major additional sanctions will be imposed today on North Korea. This situation will be dealt with appropriately.' The White House statement also noted that Trump emphasized the U.S. commitment to defend itself and its allies during this phone call. The White House added that the U.S. President also stressed that China should use all available leverage to convince North Korea to cease its provocations and return to a non-nuclear path. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, North Korea tested another ballistic missile on Tuesday, which landed in the Sea of Japan. The Department of Defense stated that this missile reached a higher altitude than previous missiles. Meanwhile, Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on the same day that the U.S. might target more financial institutions with its sanctions. He added that Washington has 'a long list of potential additional sanctions' ready. The Secretary of State also emphasized that he would continue his diplomatic efforts regarding North Korea. Previously, Trump had stated that negotiating with North Korea was a 'waste of time.' Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, also called North Korea's missile test provocative and said this action undermines efforts to resolve the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing Beijing's serious concern about this test. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also called for intensified sanctions and pressure on North Korea in a conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Security Council will hold a meeting on Wednesday regarding North Korea's latest ballistic missile test.