Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said on Sunday that the Pentagon should not send any more dependents to South Korea, stating the U.S. is getting close to military conflict with North Korea.
"Dependents" refers to spouses, children and other familial relations of American military personnel.
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile last week that the rogue regime claimed could hit the "whole" U.S. mainland, the latest in a series of provocative actions in 2017.
"We're getting close to military conflict because North Korea's marching toward marrying up the technology of an ICBM with a nuclear weapon on top that can not only get to America but deliver the weapon," Graham said on "Face The Nation." "I'm going to urge the Pentagon not to send any more dependents to South Korea. South Korea should be an unaccompanied tour. It's crazy to send spouses and children to South Korea given the provocation of North Korea, so I want them to stop sending dependents, and I think it's now time to start moving American dependents out of South Korea."
Graham told CBS host John Dickerson the Trump administration's policy was to deny North Korea the ability to hit the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, "not to contain it."
"Denial means preemptive war as a last resort," Graham said. "That preemption is becoming more likely as their technology matures."
Graham said to prepare for a "very serious response" from the U.S. if North Korea conducts an underground nuclear test.