In an interview aired over a week ago on Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo, President Donald Trump desperately wanted to look strong to the world. During the interview, he made implied threats against North Korea and strongman Kim Jong-un's stubborn refusal to stop testing nuclear and non-nuclear weapons. He told Ms. Bartiromo that the United States was sending an "armada" toward the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Japan. Trump added there would also be submarines sent that are more powerful than the aircraft carrier.

Trump started to spread fake news about an 'armada'

The problem with the threat was that it was just not true. It was fake news meant to scare the North Koreans and place pressure on the nation of China to lean on North Korea. Over the past week, in support of the Commander-in-Chief, Trump administration officials backed up the false claim. Among those backing up the false claim included national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, who said that the deployment to the region was “prudent.”

Also making noise about the incoming consequences of ramping up their nuclear program was the Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer also weighed in on the false "armada" claim.

While President Trump and administration officials were beating the false war drums, the Uss Carl Vinson along with two destroyers and a cruiser were holding planned joint exercises with Australian some 3,500 miles southwest in the Indian Ocean.

The pronouncement by Trump set off real fears of a full-scale war with North Korea and the possible unintended consequences of engaging with China. The fiasco is sparking ridicule of the United States in "some corners of Asia and wariness in others," reported the Wall Street Journal. Hong Joon-pyo, a former presidential candidate in South Korea, said that the "lie" from Trump and his administration could result in a lack of trust from South Korea.

Beating of war drums subsided in Korean Peninsula

The tensions have since subsided, After beating the war drums for more than a week of war drums, fueled by Trump's pronouncement of an "armada" and powerful submarines.

The North Korean launched a missile but it failed at launch. This past Monday, the Navy posted a photo of the USS Carl Vinson in a publication called "Defense News" which showed the ship thousands of miles away from the suggested location. However, the U.S. Pacific Command said the USS Carl Vinson is "now heading toward the Western Pacific."
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