Skip to main content

Panetta denounces Trump’s 'fire and fury' statement on North Korea

August 10, 2017

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel, sharply criticized President Donald Trump's North Korea comments at an agriculture event Thursday, saying the president must stop trying to play the "bully" in the tense situation.

Panetta and Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, both had critical remarks for the president as they spoke at a Farm Bill Forum in Salinas.

Earlier this week Trump said if North Korea continues on a path of threats, "they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."

"Look, it's unfortunate that ... the leader of this country (was) using the words that he did, and I think those are not the type of words that we want the president to use," said Panetta, who served a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve.

"We want to make sure (Trump) is very diplomatic and measured, especially in dealing with someone as volatile as the head of North Korea," Panetta said. "You can't bully. You have to be diplomatic about it and unfortunately, I think Donald Trump has gone about it the wrong way. Fortunately, we have a number of Congress members — and us — to balance him out, and make sure that he's very careful when it comes to foreign policy."

Costa said Trump's approach to important and often complex foreign policy issues has been impulsive. That said, he has confidence that Trump is surrounded by sound advisors including National Security Advisor Herbert Raymond "H. R." McMaster and Chief of Staff John Kelly.

"We have some very good people including Chief of Staff Kelly advising the president that simply tweeting a response is not the way to handle this crisis. That could have dramatic ramifications not just in the Korean Peninsula, but in Asia and around the world."

Costa said the crisis is also a chance to see what role China will take.

"The president has talked about his relationship with China, and now is the opportunity to see if that relationship is going to provide results," Costa said.