An unusual rare briefing at the White House for the entire U.S. Senate will be held on the situation in North Korea. Also unusual, are the big names providing the briefing. Such meetings are highly unusual and typically reserved for significant action.
All 100 senators have been asked to the White House for the briefing by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While top administration officials routinely travel to Capitol Hill to address members of Congress on foreign policy and national security matters, it is unusual for the entire 100-member Senate to go to such an event at the White House, and also for those four top officials to be involved.
These are significant signs of U.S. officials mounting concerns over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, and of plans to take action against their threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.