Ken Thomas, The Associated Press

More than two months after President Donald Trump got into a spat with the leader of Australia, Vice President Mike Pence will be working to smooth over any lingering hard feelings.

From the wind-swept deck of a massive aircraft carrier, Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday warned North Korea not to test the resolve of the U.S. military, promising it would make an “overwhelming and effective” response to any use of conventional or nuclear weapons.

From two continents, top Trump administration officials warned Tuesday that North Korea’s latest failed missile launch was a reckless act of provocation and assured allies in Asia that the United States was ready to work to achieve a peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

In a trip full of Cold War symbolism, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the tense zone dividing North and South Korea and warned Pyongyang that after years of testing the U.S. and South Korea with its nuclear ambitions, “the era of strategic patience is over.”

President Donald Trump asserted on Sunday that China was working with the United States on “the North Korea problem,” and his vice president told American and South Korea service members that the North’s latest “provocation,” a failed missile launch shortly before his arrival in Seoul, laid bare they risks they face.

President Trump has called North Korea a “problem” country and said it will be dealt with through a broad set of options, though they’re vague for now. It may be up to his vice president, Mike Pence, to fill in the details during a visit to Asia.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday that his attempt to compare the Holocaust and Syrian President Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons was “inexcusable and reprehensible” and was made all the worse by this being a holy week for millions of Christians and Jews.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday for making an “inappropriate and insensitive” comparison to the Holocaust in earlier comments about Syrian President Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons — remarks that drew instant rebuke from Jewish groups and critics.

President Donald Trump has signed off on Montenegro’s upcoming accession into NATO, helping pave the way for the military alliance’s expansion in the Balkans.

Vice President Mike Pence plans to travel to South Korea and Japan later this month amid simmering tensions along the Korean peninsula over North Korea’s attempts to advance its nuclear and missile programs.