White House says 'absurd' to claim war declared on N. Korea

The White House on Monday rejected claims that the United States has declared war on North Korea as "absurd" in the latest exchange of barbs and insults between the two nuclear powers.

"We have not declared war on North Korea and frankly the suggestion of that is absurd'" said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

North Korea's foreign minister on Monday accused US President Donald Trump of declaring war against his country and said Pyongyang was ready to defend itself by shooting down US bombers.

The latest threats stoked a week-long war of words that began when the American leader threatened in his address to the United Nations General Assembly to "totally destroy" North Korea if it launches an attack.

Sanders also took issue with the suggestion that Pyongyang would have the right to shoot down US planes near North Korean airspace.

"It's never appropriate for a country to shoot down another country's aircraft when it's over international waters," she said.

arb/jm