US media cited unnamed officials as saying earlier in the day that the United States was talking to its allies in the region about sending the Coast Guard to stop fuel smuggling, in an effort to make Pyongyang abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"The Department of Defense remains committed to supporting the maximum pressure campaign… but we will not discuss specific tactics, techniques, procedures, or future actions," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Logan told Sputnik.
The Treasury Department also released a global shipping advisory with information about North Korea's deceptive shipping practices and warned about potential sanctions against those who enable the shipment of goods to or from North Korea.
Meanwhile, the office of the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that Washington has submitted proposals to the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee to stop North Korea’s illegal maritime smuggling activities to obtain oil and coal.
Also, Trump said in a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that if the new sanctions would not work as planned, the United States would proceed to "phase two." "…phase two may be a very rough thing, may be very, very unfortunate for the world," Trump said.