Trump Calls for Expanded Nuclear Arsenal

Until 'the world comes to its senses regarding nukes'
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 22, 2016 12:06 PM CST
Updated Dec 22, 2016 12:12 PM CST
Trumps Calls for Expanded Nuclear Arsenal
President-elect Donald Trump speaks to members of the media at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla., Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Donald Trump generated headlines Thursday with a tweet, though this one wasn't about the media or a political rival—it was about nuclear weapons. "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," he wrote. The president-elect didn't elaborate on what he meant. Politico notes that the comment came a day after he met with several military officers at his Florida resort, though it was unclear whether they spoke of the nation's nuclear arsenal. He also met with his future national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

Looking for context, the AP calls attention to Trump's transition website, which states that Trump "recognizes the uniquely catastrophic threats posed by nuclear weapons" but adds that he "will ensure our strategic nuclear triad is modernized to ensure it continues to be an effective deterrent." The triad refers to the US ability to launch weapons from land, sea, and air. In one presidential debate, Trump complained that "our nuclear program has fallen way behind," recalls CNN, which points out that all of America's nuclear submarines are more than 30 years old. Trump also spoke of of a "very scary nuclear world" in an interview with the New York Times in March. (Hillary Clinton's camp raised the specter of nuclear war under Trump with an ad that echoed the famous "Daisy" ad of decades ago.)

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