President Trump Improvised 'Fire And Fury' Comments: NYT

WASHINGTON, DC — In a striking display of bluster and irreverence, President Trump has warned the North Korean regime that threatening behavior will be met with "fire and fury, the like the world had never seen." But these comments, delivered Tuesday in the midst of growing fears of a potential nuclear conflict with the rogue state, were completely improvised, according to a report from Peter Balker and Glenn Thrush in The New York Times.

At the time, it appeared the president was consulting a prepared statement on a sheet of paper in front of him. That paper, though, only contained information about the opioid crisis, according to the Times. Citing several anonymous sources with direct knowledge of the events, the reporters said that Trump had not discussed his language he used about the escalating international discord beforehand with his advisers. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Hours after Trump's comments, state media in North Korea announced that the regime is considering a strike on the U.S. territory Guam. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seemed to downplay the threat of a conflict, telling Americans that they needn't worry about imminent war.

Read the full report at the New York Times>>

After the report broke, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the Times' findings, though she said the president's advisers knew the "tone" of Trump's comments beforehand.

"General Kelly and others on the [National Security Council] were well aware of the ton of the statement of the president prior to deliver," she said. "The words were his own. The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand. They [Gen. Kelly and others] were clear the president was going to respond to North Korea's threats following the sanctions with a strong message in no uncertain terms."

Watch: Trump: North Korea Will Be Met With 'Fire And Fury'

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