US Will Express 'Disappointment' If North Korea Delivers Unwanted 'Christmas Gift:' Trump Advisor

If the Democratic People's Republic of Korea delivers any unflattering belated Christmas surprise, the U.S. government will not shy away from expressing its "disappointment."

What Happened

In an interview with ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, President Donald Trump's national security advisor Robert O'Brien said that he won't speculate whether the "Christmas gift" promised by the North Korean government earlier this month was a long-range missile test, but added that Washington has "a lot of tools" in its "tool kit" to deal with any such security threat.

"We'll reserve judgment but the U.S. will take action as we do in these situations," O' Brian told ABC. "If Kim Jong Un takes that approach, we'll be extraordinarily disappointed, and we'll demonstrate that disappointment."

O' Brian said that he expects the North Korean leader to "reconsider" given the "good relationship" he has with the U.S. President personally. If that doesn't happen, the U.S. will take appropriate action, as a leading military and economic power of the world.

President Trump had earlier this week dismissed concerns over the Christmas gift as something that could even be a "beautiful vase," instead of a missile test.

What's Next

O'Brien told ABC that there are "channels of communications that are open between the U.S. and North Korea" over the denuclearization agreement.

The national security advisor said that North Korean leadership would have to choose between a path of prosperity and one of sanctions and isolation.

The Christmas gift comments from the North Korean leadership sent a wave of paranoia across its adversary countries, including the U.S., South Korea, and Japan.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK falsely reported that a North Korean missile landed in the sea near the country on Friday, retracting 20 minutes later, the Nikkei reported.

At the same time, North Korea's Kim called for the country "to take positive and offensive measures," in light of the existing state of foreign affairs, at the Workers' Party meeting on Monday (Pyongyang time), according to government mouthpiece Korea Central News Agency.