Donald Trump
Donald TrumpReuters

The United States is "totally prepared" to respond to threats from Pyongyang, President Donald Trump said Sunday, according to AFP.

"We're so prepared like you wouldn't believe," Trump was quoted as having told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures while discussing tensions with North Korea.

"You would be shocked to see how totally prepared we are if we need to be," said Trump, adding, "Would it be nice not to do that? The answer is yes. Will that happen? Who knows.”

Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have increased in recent months amid North Korea's continued nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Following Trump's recent speech at the UN, in which he criticized North Korea, the North Korean foreign minister said Trump made an "irreversible mistake" and threatened the "entire U.S. mainland" with missiles.

Trump later fired back at the minister, Ri Yong Ho, tweeting, “Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!”

Two weeks ago, Ri threatened the United Stateswith “a hail of fire” and said Trump has "lit the wick of war" with his country.

And on Friday, a North Korean diplomat said that Pyongyang intended to continue its nuclear testing program in the interests of self-defense, while blasting Trump and accusing him of playing “nuclear football”.

Trump recently met with his national security team to discuss "a range of options" on North Korea in response to its increasing nuclear ambitions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, however, has said that the president prefers diplomacy and last week vowed he would continue his diplomatic efforts vis-a-vis North Korea “until the first bomb drops.”

Asked on Sunday about U.S. policy towards China, the North's longtime ally, Trump praised Beijing for "helping" the U.S. by enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang.

"He's for China. And I'm for the U.S.," he said of Chinese President Xi Jinping. "But we do have a very good -- I would say an exceptional relationship. And China's really helping us. With respect to North Korea."

"China is big stuff," he added, saying Xi has "got the power to do something very significant with respect to North Korea."