Early Tuesday morning, North Korea fired an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan’s northern Hokkaido island. It broke up shortly afterwards over the western Pacific Ocean.

With this provocation, North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un has blunted American optimism that he might be willing to trim his ballistic saber rattling. It is clear that further U.S. action is required to force him into constructive diplomacy. The time has come for the Trump administration to take action.