Sign up for a daily newsletter defining what matters in business and markets

Stories

Trump shrugs off North Korea concerns after Bolton says it broke UN ban

President Trump speaks as John Bolton looks on.
President Trump and national security adviser John Bolton. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

President Trump tweeted a different take Saturday on North Korea from national security adviser John Bolton, who said Pyongyang's recent missile tests violated UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions must remain against the country.

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that’s sending me a signal?"
— President Trump

Why it matters: Bolton is the first senior administration official to confirm that North Korea launched the short-range ballistic missiles in contravention of UN resolutions. Trump's tweet appears to contradict Bolton's stance.

  • The tweet puts Trump at odds with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. with whom he's meeting in Tokyo for a 4-day visit of Japan this week. Abe has also said North Korea violated UN resolutions with the weapons tests this month.

The big picture: Trump's mention of North Korea's scathing online attack against former Vice President Joe Biden indicates he sees the Democratic presidential candidate as a potentially serious threat for 2020.

North Korea