Pentagon chief warns North Korea of its 'destruction'

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If Kim Jong Un won't listen to President Trump, the Mad Dog could make him heel. Secretary of Defense James "Mad Dog" Mattis echoed his boss's fiery warning Wednesday to the dictator of North Korea with harsh rhetoric of his own, Fox News reported. And this time, the words came from a battle-tested, four-star U.S. Marine Corps general.

"The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons," Mattis said in a statement. "The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Mattis provided a powerful follow-up to Trump's warning that Pyongyang would face "fire and fury" should it continue to test missiles, build nuclear warheads and threaten to attack the United States. Lest anyone think Trump was speaking without the counsel of his top military man, Mattis said Trump is well aware of the depth of the North Korean threat.

A report released Tuesday that Pyongyang has missile-ready nukes, combined with months of missile tests and threats from Kim, has brought the world to the brink. Punishing sanctions passed last week by the U.N. only served to increase Pyongyang's hostility toward the world, and in particular, the U.S.

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Statement by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis

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