US Defense Secretary James Mattis has said the US is “never out of diplomatic solutions” in dealing with North Korea, contradicting President Donald Trump’s latest comment about abandoning diplomacy with Pyongyang.
Mattis made the remarks on Wednesday at the Pentagon before a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Song Young-Moo.
When asked by reporters if the US was out of diplomatic solutions with North Korea, Mattis replied: “No,” just hours after Trump tweeted that “talking is not the answer.”
“We’re never out of diplomatic solutions,” Mattis said. “We always look for more. We’re never complacent.”
Trump tweeted early on Wednesday that diplomacy will not resolve the growing tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
“The US has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!” Trump posted on Twitter.
Tensions between the US and North Korea have been…