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Trump Advocates 'Greatly' Expanding Nuclear Arsenal
With less than a month until he'll be able to "launch a nuclear weapon with a phone call," Trump calls for nuclear proliferation—on Twitter
Dec 22, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump unexpectedly tweeted in support of boosting the United States' nuclear capacity on Thursday, marking a potential reversal in U.S. policy.
Thursday's tweet came "hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to enhance his country's nuclear forces," CNN reports. It drew criticism from experts like Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, who told Business Insider that nuclear proliferation would be a "total catastrophe" for the U.S. and its allies abroad.
Citing Lewis, Business Insider explained:
Increasing nuclear arsenals could have a domino effect as other countries, including some US allies in the Middle East, demand their own arsenals.
"A large number of our other allies would want the same treatment immediately," Lewis said. "Probably lots of Middle Eastern states. I think you would get a lot of countries wanting nuclear weapons."
Others responded on Trump's preferred medium expressing similar fears.
Trump's reckless tweet could set off a $1 trillion nuclear arms race with China and Russia. https://t.co/zp0Kg4PlxM pic.twitter.com/pCXqwks2e3
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) December 22, 2016
Trump's previous statements on nuclear arms have been inconsistent at best.
As such, during the presidential election, the No Red Button campaign warned of the dangers of Trump having access to nukes.
" Donald Trump is weeks away from having the unchecked ability to light the world on fire," Meredith Horowski, the director of the campaign, told Common Dreams in October. "His flippant statements condoning nuclear violence and his penchant for revenge suggest that as president, he would do just that. He could launch thousands of nuclear weapons at any time--each one vastly more powerful than the bomb that obliterated Hiroshima--and no one could stop him."
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
President-elect Donald Trump unexpectedly tweeted in support of boosting the United States' nuclear capacity on Thursday, marking a potential reversal in U.S. policy.
Thursday's tweet came "hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to enhance his country's nuclear forces," CNN reports. It drew criticism from experts like Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, who told Business Insider that nuclear proliferation would be a "total catastrophe" for the U.S. and its allies abroad.
Citing Lewis, Business Insider explained:
Increasing nuclear arsenals could have a domino effect as other countries, including some US allies in the Middle East, demand their own arsenals.
"A large number of our other allies would want the same treatment immediately," Lewis said. "Probably lots of Middle Eastern states. I think you would get a lot of countries wanting nuclear weapons."
Others responded on Trump's preferred medium expressing similar fears.
Trump's reckless tweet could set off a $1 trillion nuclear arms race with China and Russia. https://t.co/zp0Kg4PlxM pic.twitter.com/pCXqwks2e3
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) December 22, 2016
Trump's previous statements on nuclear arms have been inconsistent at best.
As such, during the presidential election, the No Red Button campaign warned of the dangers of Trump having access to nukes.
" Donald Trump is weeks away from having the unchecked ability to light the world on fire," Meredith Horowski, the director of the campaign, told Common Dreams in October. "His flippant statements condoning nuclear violence and his penchant for revenge suggest that as president, he would do just that. He could launch thousands of nuclear weapons at any time--each one vastly more powerful than the bomb that obliterated Hiroshima--and no one could stop him."
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
President-elect Donald Trump unexpectedly tweeted in support of boosting the United States' nuclear capacity on Thursday, marking a potential reversal in U.S. policy.
Thursday's tweet came "hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to enhance his country's nuclear forces," CNN reports. It drew criticism from experts like Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, who told Business Insider that nuclear proliferation would be a "total catastrophe" for the U.S. and its allies abroad.
Citing Lewis, Business Insider explained:
Increasing nuclear arsenals could have a domino effect as other countries, including some US allies in the Middle East, demand their own arsenals.
"A large number of our other allies would want the same treatment immediately," Lewis said. "Probably lots of Middle Eastern states. I think you would get a lot of countries wanting nuclear weapons."
Others responded on Trump's preferred medium expressing similar fears.
Trump's reckless tweet could set off a $1 trillion nuclear arms race with China and Russia. https://t.co/zp0Kg4PlxM pic.twitter.com/pCXqwks2e3
-- Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) December 22, 2016
Trump's previous statements on nuclear arms have been inconsistent at best.
As such, during the presidential election, the No Red Button campaign warned of the dangers of Trump having access to nukes.
" Donald Trump is weeks away from having the unchecked ability to light the world on fire," Meredith Horowski, the director of the campaign, told Common Dreams in October. "His flippant statements condoning nuclear violence and his penchant for revenge suggest that as president, he would do just that. He could launch thousands of nuclear weapons at any time--each one vastly more powerful than the bomb that obliterated Hiroshima--and no one could stop him."
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