Trump: 'Fire and fury' threat to North Korea not tough enough

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NEWS) - President Donald Trump on Thursday doubled down on his threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea. He amped up his aggressive rhetoric against Pyongyang, saying his "fire and fury" statement may not have been tough enough and cautioned North Korea to "get their act together" over its nuclear ambitions.

The North Korean military threatened to soon launch missiles into the Pacific Ocean near Guam, a U.S. island territory home to important military bases, in a show of force. And an official in North Korea on Wednesday called Trump's comments "nonsense."

"They've been doing this to our country for a long time, for many years, and it's about time that somebody stuck up for the people of this country and for the people of other countries," Trump told reporters at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. "If anything, maybe that statement wasn't tough enough. And we're backed by -- 100 percent -- by our military."

When asked what would be tougher than "fire and fury," the president responded, "Well, you'll see. You'll see." He said he would not talk about a possible preemptive strike against the isolated Communist regime and country.

"I never do. I'm not like the other administration that would say, 'We're going into Mosul in four months,'" Trump said. "But I can tell you that what they've been doing and what they've been getting away with is a tragedy. And it can't be allowed."

Trump spoke after having a national security briefing with Vice President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.

Democrats and even some Republicans questioned the wisdom of Trump's rhetoric. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Trump's words were "recklessly belligerent." And Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona, told a radio station, "It's not terrible but it's kind of the classic Trump in that he overstates things."

With Fox News and the AP.