Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:43 pm
Some big talk from Putin and a single tweet from Trump have experts wondering if the US is about to embark on a new nuclear arms race with Russia.
During a speech that recapped Russia’s military activities in 2016, Putin said, “We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defence systems. We must carefully monitor any changes in the balance of power and in the political-military situation in the world, especially along Russian borders, and quickly adapt plans for neutralising threats to our country.”
To which the incoming president-elect tweeted:
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The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016
John Tierney, the executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, said, “It is dangerous for the President-elect to use just 140 characters and announce a major change in U.S. nuclear weapons policy, which is nuanced, complex, and affects every single person on this planet.”
The majority of voters did not vote for Donald Trump, but they will have to hope that his reckless and irresponsible tweeting doesn’t endanger the world.
Elections have consequences, and those who voted for Trump out of some need for change might want to start thinking about what change really means because the sort of change that Trump is talking about could endanger human life on Earth.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
