Mike Pompeo, CIA director, says nuclear war with North Korea is not ‘imminent’

Despite escalating tensions with North Korea, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Sunday that nuclear war is not “imminent.”

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Mr. Pompeo said it’s clear North Korea’s nuclear capabilities are progressing rapidly, but he downplayed any immediate risk to the United States.

“Each time they test another missile, or if they should conduct a nuclear weapons text, they develop expertise, they expend the envelope. It is probably fair to say they are moving toward that at an ever-alarming rate,” he said when asked whether North Korea has nuclear weapons capable of hitting the U.S.

Still, he said Americans shouldn’t be alarmed.

“There’s nothing imminent today,” Mr. Pompeo said.

Moving forward, he said President Trump’s tough talk and global unity against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is working.

“He’s pretty isolated today for the first time,” he said. “We’re creating conditions for the leader there to make it clear to him that it’s going to be unacceptable to continue to develop his missile program.”