The US dispatched an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean peninsula in a show of naval power in the region as Donald Trump confronted simultaneous crises over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions and Washington’s clash with Russia over Syria.
The move to put American military might on display in some of the world’s most sensitive seas came just a week after Mr Trump told the Financial Times that he was prepared to take unilateral action against North Korea if China did not rein in its ally.
A top security official in Washington warned that the president was examining all options, including possible military action, to deal with North Korea.