Trump discussed using nuclear football on North Korea during Puerto Rico trip: CNN | TheHill – The Hill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump says wind power doesn’t work because ‘it only blows sometimes’ Fuel standards to prevent overdependence on foreign oil are out of date Trump knocks MSNBC, CNN rankings: ‘Fake News never wins!’ MORE discussed using the “nuclear football,” a briefcase that can be used to authorize a nuclear attack, on North Korea during a 2017 visit to Puerto Rico, CNN reported Thursday.

Trump was visiting the island to survey damage from Hurricane Maria but was distracted with the situation with North Korea, according to people familiar with the trip.

At one point, Trump said he could use the nuclear briefcase on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“This is what I have for Kim,” he said, CNN reported, citing three people who witnessed the remark.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the alleged remarks.

Around the time of the visit, Trump was engaged in a war of words with Kim.

“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters in August of 2017.

“He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.”

Since then, the relationship between the two leaders improved, and they have had two summits.

But defense officials and lawmakers have questioned whether North Korea is serious about taking the steps needed to denuclearize.

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, in an interview with CNN, declined to confirm Trump’s nuclear football remark, but did say that issues not related to the island were discussed.

“There were other topics that were being discussed and my view is that the sole focus of that trip should have been on Puerto Rico,” Rosselló said.

“He was talking about a whole host of other issues but I would rather leave those conversations internal,” he added.