China has two options when it comes to North Korea, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham: Either deal with a "nut job" in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, or realize "you're going to have a war in your backyard."
"A war would be terrible, but if there is going to be a war, it's going to be in the region, not here in America," the South Carolina Republican told "CBS This Morning."
There are two scenarios in which the United States would go to war with North Korea: If Kim attacks a U.S. ally or interest or Guam, as threatened Tuesday, or if the country keeps trying to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles topped with nuclear weapons.
"President Trump has basically drawn a red line saying he'll never allow North Korea to have an ICBM missile that can hit America with a nuclear weapon on top," said Graham. "He's not going to let that happen, he's not going to contain the threat, he's going to stop the threat."
He said he hopes that diplomacy will work when it comes to facing the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea, responding to Monday's news that the country had successfully developed miniaturized nuclear weapons that could potentially be placed atop intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, sanctions have not worked before when it comes to dealing with North Korea's growing aggressions.
At any rate, the "time for talking is running out," the senator said.
However, he does want to hear further Intel reports on the matter of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, not just trust a single report.
"I want to know what South Korea and Japan think about the miniaturizing of the weapon," said Graham. "I don't want to trust one Intel report. I learned from Iraq you do another to be cautious."
He does however, believe President Donald Trump will not allow Kim to get a nuclear-tipped weapon that can hit the United States, but "it's a matter of time before that capability exists."
On Tuesday, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, warned that Trump should not threaten to meet North Korea with "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if he is not prepared to act on his words, and Graham said he does believe the United States is ready to meet the threat.
War with North Korea would be "horrific," said Graham, as South Korea could be targeted.
"We're headed that way unless North Korea stops," said Graham. "Put yourself in President Trump's shoes. Isn't your primary purpose as president of the United States to protect the American homeland from a nuclear weapon attack from a guy like Kim Jong Un?"
Trump will pick homeland defense over regional security, and he has to do that, Graham said.
"For 30 years, this has failed," said Graham. "This is not a language problem. This is a North Korean regime trying to get the capability to strike America, the ultimate insurance policy. And no president should allow this to happen. We failed for 30 years. It's time to start something new."
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, upon arriving in Guam Wednesday, commented the United States' telephone lines are open and that Trump, with his threat, was using language Kim would understand.
Graham agreed there is time for diplomacy to work, pointing that the United Nations Security council has approved tough sanctions by a 15-0 vote, including the votes of Russia and China, against North Korea.
However, it has just been a matter of time before North Korea would get the capability for a mainland strike, said Graham, but he does not believe Kim is lying about his plans.
"When [Vladimir] Putin says he didn't interfere in the election, he was lying," said Graham. "When the ayatollah said he wasn't trying to build a weapon, he's lying. This man is not lying. He's saying he's going to build an ICBM with a nuclear bomb on top. I don't want to live under that threat for the next 50 years."
Graham said he also is concerned North Korea and Kim will just become stronger if he is not stopped now, and that "he'll have a hydrogen bomb with a bunch of missiles ... I don't want him to get stronger over time."