By Lisa Ferdinando, DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military continues its “maximum
pressure campaign” in regard to North Korea, and U.S. forces on the Korean
Peninsula are “ready to fight tonight,” the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson said today.
Dana W. White confirmed Defense Secretary James N. Mattis
spoke with President Donald J. Trump today, ahead of Trump announcing that he
has terminated the planned June 12 summit in Singapore with North Korean leader
Kim Jong Un.
U.S. forces on the peninsula maintain their usual high state
of vigilance, White and the director of the Joint Staff, Marine Corps Lt. Gen.
Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., told reporters in a news briefing.
“In terms of we are ready to fight tonight -- that's always
been the case,” White said. “Our position has always been to support our
diplomatic-led effort.”
‘High State of Vigilance’
North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
has proven to be unpredictable in the past, McKenzie said. U.S. forces, he
added, are ready to respond quickly to anything that could happen. He described
the stance as the “normal state of vigilance” of the United States.
“We maintain a very high state of vigilance in regard to the
DPRK, and we will continue that going forward, to include our missile defense
activities,” McKenzie said.
The general added the termination of the summit has not
affected the military posture in any way. He further explained the recent
budget will allow the military to address some readiness concerns, including
the readiness of military forces that might be deployed in the event of
operations on the Korean Peninsula.
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