Sen. Joni Ernst: NKorea Missile Tests 'Very Disturbing'

While President Donald Trump might not publicly be upset about North Korea's missile testing amid ongoing denuclearization talks, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, calls the boldness of Kim Jong Un regime's testing "very disturbing."

"I find them very disturbing, and certainly wouldn't trust Kim Jong Un," Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "I think we need to keep our eyes on North Korea. I understand the president wants to maintain a relationship with North Korea, so that we can work with them; however, those strikes are disturbing."

President Trump downplayed the potential view of North Korea's testing aggression, calling the tests merely "some small weapons" in a tweet Saturday night:

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, & also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, & worse. Perhaps that's sending me a signal?"

Sen. Ernst said she understand's President Trump's acceptance in the name of diplomacy, but the U.S. should still "push back" on "any type" of missile testing, no matter how small.

"Understanding that the president has a job to do on negotiating, but we do need to push back on North Korea and make sure that they are following U.N. guidelines, and that's very important. 

"We can't continue to let them further develop any type of weapons systems."

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