Trump threatens nuclear retaliation in tweet to North Korea’s leader

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Tuesday to mock North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's recent assertion that he had a nuclear launch button on his desk.

>> Read more trending news

In a video message released New Year's Day, Kim said a "button for nuclear weapons is on my table" and bragged that the "entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range." The dictator also announced plans for the nation to intensify production of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles, accelerating deployment of the weapons to make it "impossible" for the United States to start a war with the nuclear nation.

Kim Jong-un also expressed pleasure that North Korea, in his words, had "completed" its nuclear weapons arsenal.

President Donald Trump, at the risk of inflaming a volatile dictatorship with demonstrated nuclear capabilities, responded to the video in a tweet.

Trump called North Korea a “depleted and food starved regime” and bragged that his launch button — a catalyst for nuclear war — was “bigger and more powerful” than Kim’s.

"And my Button works!" Trump tweeted, asserting his dominance over the 6800 known warheads in the American nuclear arsenal.

About the Author