White House: U.S. Hasn't 'Declared War' On North Korea
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is pushing back on North Korea's claim that President Donald Trump's recent words amount to a declaration of war.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the U.S. hasn't "declared war" on North Korea.
The Trump administration also clarified Monday that it is not seeking to overthrow North Korea's government after the president tweeted that Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer."
North Korea's top diplomat responded to that Monday at the U.N., telling reporters it was a declaration of war against his country by the United States, and that the North has the right to shoot down U.S. warplanes in international airspace.
Trump said in a speech last week to the U.N. General Assembly that if the U.S. is forced to defend itself against North Korea, "we will have no choice but to totally destroy" the country.
The U.S. and North Korea agreed to an armistice after the 1950-1953 Korean War, not a peace treaty. Because of that, they are still technically at war.
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