U.S. President Donald Trump said military action against North Korea was not the "first choice" of his administration Wednesday, edging away from his harshest threats against the regime in Pyongyang. 

 

After a phone call with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on how to deal with North Korea's threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Trump did not rule out military strikes, saying "we will see what happens." 

 

But, he indicated, other avenues for pressure would come first.