Trump downplays North Korean missile threat

In an apparent contradiction of his national security adviser, President Donald Trump on Sunday downplayed recent North Korean missile tests, tweeting from Tokyo that they're not a concern for him in comments sure to unnerve Japanese leaders.

Trump also said North Korea's Kim Jong Un's criticism of one of his Democratic rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden, had made him smile.

The remarks were the latest example of Trump's willingness to publicly undermine senior advisers, flout democratic norms and side with totalitarian leaders, even on the world stage. He did so this time during a four-day state visit to Japan where he'll become the first leader to meet with the country's new emperor.

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump tweeted in one of a flurry of early morning messages that suggested he'd spent little time sleeping after the lengthy flight to Asia.

"Some" of his "people" appear to include national security adviser John Bolton, who told reporters at a briefing Saturday ahead of Trump's arrival that a series of short-range missile tests by North Korea earlier this month were a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.