The heads of US State and Defense Departments, Rex Tillerson and James Mattis, say they are pushing for a “peaceful pressure campaign” on North Korea, breaking with President Donald Trump who has warned Pyongyang of “fire and fury” amid an ongoing standoff.

“The US is willing to negotiate with Pyongyang,” the two secretaries wrote in a Wall Street Journal article published Sunday.

Titled We’re Holding Pyongyang to Account, the article described Washington’s priorities in tackling North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

Mattis and Tillerson, however, failed to clarify the Trump administration’s stance and rather added more spins to an already complicated situation.

The two officials called their…