Idaho Sen. Jim Risch reacts to threats of a nuclear attack by North Korea
Idaho’s Junior Republican Sen. Jim Risch, is expressing concerns over the threat of a nuclear attack by North Korea.
“It is a dangerous situation,” Risch said on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. “There is no question about this.”
Risch’s comments come after intelligence reports suggest the country could be preparing to launch a missile towards the U.S. Territory of Guam. It is possible the country has developed a small nuclear warhead that can fit on top of a missile.
The speaker of the Guam Legislature says he hopes the island can defend itself in the event of an attack from North Korea.
Benjamin J. Cruz tells The Associated Press in a telephone interview, “We’re just praying that the United States and the … defense system we have here is sufficient enough to protect us.”
Security and defense officials on Guam say there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands and urge calm.
Risch, who serves on the intelligence committee and committee on Foreign Affairs told the nation Tuesday night that what President Trump says needs to be taking seriously.
“It is really hard to overstate what a serious situation this is,” Risch said. “There are some keys here but this is a very, very serious situation.”
Following North Korea’s latest threat, President Trump issued a warning to the country that left many wondering if the U.S. is headed towards war.
“North Korea best not make any more threats,” Trump said. “They will be met with a fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
A CNN poll released Tuesday found a majority of Americans fear what North Korea is capable of. The poll found 62-percent of respondents believe the country is a threat to America. Seventy-seven percent of Americans believe North Korea is capable of launching a missile that could hit the mainland.
“I don’t know that he is threatening war but certainly the person we have as president right now is a person who says what’s on his mind,” Risch said.
News of the latest threat spread quickly. The reaction of the president has some worried.
“We need to calm down, take a deep breath and realize that the north is not going to attack us,” nuclear expert Tom Collina told ABC News. “There’s a risk that they will make a mistake that they will look at the situation in a way that is miscalculation and that we will stumble into catastrophe.”
During his interview with CNN Tuesday, Risch told Blitzer: “All options are on the table,” and called on the rest of the world to listen up.
“The key is the Chinese,” Risch said. “The North Koreans are not going to listen to us. They are not going to be moved by anything that anybody says.”
