Sen. Coons: White House Needs to Focus on North Korea

President Donald Trump's administration needs to focus seriously on North Korea, according to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.

"I am more concerned than I've been in the past. And this is a moment for the Trump administration to focus, to communicate closely with our allies, not to stoke needless divisions between the United States and South Korea over trade issues, or with China over other issues," Coons said Wednesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

The senator, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it's not certain that diplomatic sanctions against North Korea will work.

"Even though there is some reasonable question whether or not sanctions will ultimately deter Kim Jong Un of North Korea, I think we have to continue to try as hard as we can, all diplomatic options while at the same time strengthening the anti-missile defenses of our vital allies, South Korea and Japan, and preparing to deploy stronger and more effective anti-missile defenses for the United States, for Guam and the homeland," Coons said.

"Congress and the administration need to prepare for what would happen if we were required by increased threats that were increasingly credible from North Korea, to prepare for escalation of conflict," the senator added.

Coons appeared on CNN on Tuesday, and called North Korea's latest nuclear test "gravely concerning."

"We need to make it clear, all options will stay on the table as long as North Korea threatens the American homeland," Coons said.

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