But he cautioned that the Trump administration was not looking for the “annihilation” of any country, including North Korea. On Twitter, Donald Trump declared: “The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.” The threat is not viewed as credible. In 2016 the US imported $463bn worth of goods from China, North Korea’s biggest trade partner. Trump’s rhetoric has not only failed to rein in the North Koreans, but also threatens a disastrous split with US allies, above all South Korea, writes Julian Borger. Sign upIf you would like to receive the Guardian Australia morning mail to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here.

Source: The Guardian September 03, 2017 21:11 UTC