CLOSER TO WAR: For decades one of North Korea’s chief exports has been over-the-top bellicose rhetoric aimed at intimidating the U.S. and South Korea. A succession of Kim regimes have routinely threatened to turn Seoul, South Korea’s capital, into “a lake of fire.” The U.S. response has always been to downplay the vitriol from Pyongyang, and insist the U.S. military presence in the the region is purely defensive. But yesterday marked a turning point, as North Korea escalated its threats in response to new punishing sanctions passed unanimously by the United Nations Security Council, and President Trump decided to fight verbal fire with a fiery rejoinder of his own. While you’ve no doubt heard the quote by now, it’s worth revisiting it in its entirety:

“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement. And as I said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”