Deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland on Sunday said President Trump was not “distressed” by North Korea’s failed test launch of a missile despite the U.S. military positioning itself in the days before the test.
“It’s not a surprise, even in the last year President Kim of North Korea launched over 30 missiles. Most of them have failed,” McFarland told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace when asked if he was “distressed.” “We were expecting something particularly surrounding the birthday of his grandfather, so it wasn’t a surprise.”
McFarland, who traveled to Mar-a-Lago with Trump for the weekend, said she briefed the commander in chief on the failed test Saturday evening.
McFarland said the Trump administration has a list of non-military options it can take against Kim Jong Un’s country if their defiance continues. However, the recent missile test, which she called a “fizzle,” does not mandate taking those steps.
While North Korea had warned of a “big event” this weekend, Pentagon officials mobilized resources to hit back.
The U.S. said this week that it is well-prepared to respond with military action to any hostile behavior or serious threat from North Korea, including launching missiles at the nation’s nuclear test site, U.S. intelligence officials said Thursday evening according to a report.
McFarland also addressed reports that she is leaving the White House to take an ambassadorship to Singapore following national security adviser Mike Flynn’s resignation.
“I can tell you we talked about it again last night, and there are changes coming, but I’m not going to tell you what they are, you got enough secrets out of me this day,” McFarland added.
