North Korea has become the number one foreign policy issue for the Donald J. Trump administration, multiple conversations between NK News and those inside and out of government suggested in Washington DC last week.

But while earlier this year both government and long-time watchers were talking increasingly about the ‘kinetic’ end of the solution spectrum, it seems cooler heads have since prevailed.

Though ‘all options’ are officially still on the table, the clear message from the administration, for now, is that a policy of ‘maximum pressure and engagement’ is the short to medium-term priority. In other words, getting