Earlier this September, President Trump tweeted out that the US is considering “stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea” in response to a successful hydrogen bomb detonation by the North Korean government (LA Times). The most recent test is the sixth and most powerful nuclear test that North Korea has done so far. This comes after even more strict trade sanctions were unanimously put in place by the UN Security Council (NW). 

The statement is primarily aimed at China, who makes up to 90% of all imports into North Korea (LA Times). This is largely regarded as an empty threat, as China is one of the he United States’ largest trading partners with trade nearing $650 billion in 2016. However, these potential sanctions would also include other counties such as France, Mexico, and Russia who do conduct minimal trade with North Korea (NYT).

President Trump released this Twitter statement in hopes to convince world leaders who do trade with North Korea to stop. China, however, remains reluctant to cut off all trade in fear of worsening an already bad situation and provoking Pyongyang into an attack (NYT). The UN Security Council remains firm on its stance to halt the progress North Korea is making in its nuclear research.