--- title: Donald Trump Could Lead US to World War III, Bob Corker Says description: Bob Corker escalated his war of words with Donald Trump, expressing concern that Trump's temperament could lead the U.S. into an actual war canonical: https://time.com/4974241/donald-trump-bob-corker-republican-party/ author: Alana Abramson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-09T11:44:03.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:54:04.500Z article:section: Politics og:title: A Top Republican Says Trump Could Lead the U.S. Into World War III og:description: "He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation" og:url: https://time.com/4974241/donald-trump-bob-corker-republican-party/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb46033dfe61304bc/6988e10f22fb85ed16e232f9/bob-corker-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Bob-Corker-trump og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: A Top Republican Says Trump Could Lead the U.S. Into World War III twitter:description: "He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb46033dfe61304bc/6988e10f22fb85ed16e232f9/bob-corker-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 00:36 video:published: 2017-09-19 section: world topics: North Korea, nuclear threat, United Nations, U.S. foreign policy, military deterrence, international sanctions, Kim regime, diplomatic isolation genre: speech, news tones: threatening, firm, confrontational emotions: anger (medium), defiance (high), resolve (high) sentiment: negative audience: global policy observers, news readers, diplomats, general public people: Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un organizations: United Nations, United States content_suitability: war [00:00-00:36]; politics [00:00-00:36] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # A Top Republican Says President Trump Could Lead the U.S. Into World War III > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=64f3a701-7b76-4d7d-a1fd-292da211013c&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: President Trump Threatens to 'Totally Destroy' North Korea in U.N. Speech [Watch (HLS stream): President Trump Threatens to 'Totally Destroy' North Korea in U.N. Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/I4DNTm1m.m3u8) (0:36)  _Published 2017-09-19. President Trump threatened North Korea with total destruction in his first speech to the United Nations, but said that the international body could still prevent war_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary President Trump addresses the United Nations and warns that the United States will totally destroy North Korea if it is forced to defend itself or its allies. He calls the North Korean leader's behavior a suicide mission for himself and his regime, while stating the U.S. is ready but hopes military action will not be necessary. He closes by calling on all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior. ## Key points - The United States has great strength and patience but will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies. (00:00) - The speaker says the North Korean leader, referred to as Rocketman, is on a suicide mission for himself and his regime. (00:14) - The United States is described as ready, willing and able to act militarily. (00:18) - The speaker states that he hopes military action will not be necessary. (00:23) - The speaker calls on all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime. (00:28) - The isolation effort is to continue until the Kim regime ceases its hostile behavior. (00:31) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:14] Warning of total destruction. The speaker says the U.S. will totally destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies. - [00:14 to 00:23] Remarks on North Korean leader. The speaker says Rocketman is on a suicide mission and that the U.S. is ready, willing and able to act. - [00:23 to 00:36] Call for international isolation. The speaker hopes military action will be unnecessary and urges all nations to isolate the Kim regime. ## Key quotes - [00:00] President Trump: "we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea." - [00:14] President Trump: "Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself, and for his regime." - [00:18] President Trump: "The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary." - [00:28] President Trump: "It is time for all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior." ## Questions this video answers - What does the United States threaten to do to North Korea if it must defend itself or its allies? [00:00] - How does the speaker describe the North Korean leader's situation? [00:14] - Is the United States prepared to act militarily against North Korea? [00:18] - What does the speaker call on other nations to do regarding the Kim regime? [00:28] ## Content suitability - war [00:00-00:36]: Threat of total military destruction of North Korea and readiness for military action. - politics [00:00-00:36]: Political speech at the United Nations on foreign policy toward North Korea.  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Oct 9, 2017 11:44 AM UTC  President Donald Trump leaves after a Hispanic Heritage Month event in the East Room of the White House October 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. ; Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, speaks to the media in the lobby at Trump Tower in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016 in New York City. President Donald Trump leaves after a Hispanic Heritage Month event in the East Room of the White House October 6, 2017 in Washington, DC. ; Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, speaks to the media in the lobby at Trump Tower in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016 in New York City. John Angelillo—Bloomberg/Getty Images; Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images  by [Alana Abramson](https://time.com/author/alana-abramson/)  ## Alana Abramson Oct 9, 2017 11:44 AM UTC Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker escalated [his war of words with President Donald Trump](http://time.com/4973803/donald-trump-bob-corker-twitter-iran-deal/) late Sunday, expressing concern that Trump’s temperament could lead the United States into an actual war — perhaps even World War III. “I know for a fact that every single day at the White House, it”s a situation of trying to contain him,” [Corker told the New York](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/08/us/politics/trump-corker.html?%5Fr=0)[ _Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/08/us/politics/trump-corker.html?%5Fr=0)_._ “I don’t think he appreciates that when the President of the United States speaks and says the things that he does, the impact that it has around the world, especially in the region that he’s addressing. And so, yeah, it’s concerning to me.” Corker, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who recently announced he would not seek reelection next year, also told the _Times_ that Trump has adversely impacted international diplomacy with [his Twitter feed](http://time.com/4724135/donald-trump-tweets-retweets-didnt-age-well/), and that every Republican Senator shares his concerns. Trump used his Twitter feed Sunday to take aim at Corker, saying that [Corker decided not to seek reelection](http://time.com/4958159/bob-corker-reelection-2018/) because Trump would not provide his endorsement. A person familiar with the situation immediately disputed Trump’s account to TIME, saying the President had called Corker and asked him to reconsider his decision — and offered his endorsement. Corker later said as much to the _Times._ > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/917026789188399105) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/917029060471152640) Corker responded to Trump’s Twitter attack by calling the White House an “adult day care center” has further intensified his rhetoric against Trump, expressing concern that his policies could result in a third World War. > [](https://twitter.com/SenBobCorker/status/917045348820049920) Corker and Trump haven’t always been at odds. Corker praised Trump after he gave a foreign policy speech when he was still a presidential candidate, and he began receiving calls from Trump with foreign policy questions. Corker was also said to be a candidate for Vice President, and later Secretary of State. In February, he expressed optimism that the Senate could still work with Trump. “It’s taking nuggets, massaging them, evolving them to a little bit different place,” [Corker told _Politico_](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/02/sen-bob-corker-the-full-transcript-214767). “I see that as a challenging, but a very positive role for us to play.” ## Transcript [00:00] The United States has great strength and patience. But [00:04] if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have [00:08] no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. [00:14] Rocketman is on a suicide mission for himself, and [00:18] for his regime. The United States is ready, willing [00:23] and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary. 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