# Trump Tweets Apparent Call for More U.S. Nuclear Weapons **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 22, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411 "2016-12-22T23:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/1 "2016-12-22T23:57:49Z")
Whoa. We don’t have enough nukes to do blow up the world several times over? He wants _ **more** _? > [@](#): > > Donald Trump stunned nuclear experts Thursday by proclaiming in a tweet that the U.S. should “expand its nuclear capability,” something no president has called for in decades. > [@](#): > > “Can a tweet start an arms race? This one may just have done that,” said Joseph Cirincione, president of Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation. \*Acton (James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) called Trump’s tweet unprecedented, not only for its content, but for the notion that a president-elect would make a pronouncement about something so sensitive as nuclear weapons policy over a medium as casual as Twitter. “Nuclear policy is not made on the hoof,” he said. “Because of the extraordinary implications, it is always the result of serious interagency review and careful deliberations. Allies are consulted, presidential statements pored over, words checked and double checked, crafted and re-crafted.”\* **Not any more.** > **[Trump's call for an 'arms race' flabbergasts nuclear experts](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-tweets-apparent-call-more-us-nuclear-weapons-n699221)** > > His tweet seemed to signal a break with decades of presidential actions to reduce the nuclear arsenal. ---
**Author:** ![HeweyLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heweylogan/32/547_2.png) [@HeweyLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeweyLogan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/2 "2016-12-23T00:05:37Z")
Good. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/3 "2016-12-23T00:08:15Z")
What next? Nerve gas? Biological weapons? Maybe he’ll Tweet his intentions soon. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/4 "2016-12-23T00:13:04Z")
> [@HeweyLogan](#): > > Good. Good how? Good, we should expand nukes? Good, Trump said so? Good, he announced it over Twitter? Good, nuclear war is the right way to go? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/5 "2016-12-23T00:14:25Z")
> [@HeweyLogan](#): > > Good. I hope your incoming idiot of a president doesn’t get too many non-Republicans killed. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/6 "2016-12-23T00:15:12Z")
\*\*Trump Tweets Apparent Call for More U.S. Nuclear Weapons \*\*And his base assuredly tell themselves: “He’s tough. He’s a tough guy.” ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/7 "2016-12-23T00:23:33Z")
Somebodies in for a big surprise when they learn what the soon to be nonexistent Department of Energy actually does. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/8 "2016-12-23T00:24:03Z")
You might remember that Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize his first year in office. At the time, someone pointed out that the nomination deadline for the prize was February of that year. So, in short, someone thought within a month of Obama’s swearing in that he was deserving of that honor. Obviously, that early in his presidency, he had done nothing to deserve it. So I assumed at the time that the award was a big “Fuck you” to George W Bush. So for a similar reason, I would not be surprised if the next Nobel Peace Prize winners were Bill & Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/9 "2016-12-23T00:30:26Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > \*\*Trump Tweets Apparent Call for More U.S. Nuclear Weapons > > \*\*And his base assuredly tell themselves: “He’s tough. He’s a tough guy.” I he was truly a tough guy, he’d wade in and do it himself. Just like all those chiseled he-men in the video games his son plays. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/10 "2016-12-23T00:40:32Z")
Well, what is it, exactly, that is wanting? We don’t have enough H-bombs? How many are required under any conceivable set of circumstances? Besides, we’ve got St. Ronnie laser shield, right? Shit, its been thirty years or so, they must have worked out those minor problems by now. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/11 "2016-12-23T01:21:37Z")
…and thus ends the Putin Trump bro-mance. ---
**Author:** ![HeweyLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heweylogan/32/547_2.png) [@HeweyLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeweyLogan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/12 "2016-12-23T01:50:31Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > What next? Nerve gas? Biological weapons? Maybe even a… DEATHSTAR!!! Whoaaaaaaaaa It was in response to Putin talking about Russia expanding its own nuclear arsenal. > **[Trump, Putin call for expanding respective nuclear capabilities](https://www.france24.com/en/20161222-trump-putin-call-expanding-respective-nuclear-capabilities-usa-russia)** > > US President-elect Donald Trump called Thursday for the US to expand its nuclear capabilities until the world “comes to its senses”, hours after President Vladimir Putin said Russia needed to increase… But you’re right, we should cower in fear. I don’t get you guys. Is Russia our friend or enemy? Or does it depend on what makes Trump look worse that day? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/13 "2016-12-23T02:00:19Z")
Might just be me, but I live in a world where there are a range of options between cowering in fear and sparking an arms race with a tweet. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/14 "2016-12-23T02:05:11Z")
> [@HeweyLogan](#): > > Good. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. In your mind, this qualifies as a reasoned response? ---
**Author:** ![HeweyLogan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heweylogan/32/547_2.png) [@HeweyLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeweyLogan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/15 "2016-12-23T02:19:36Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. In your mind, this qualifies as a reasoned response? If you were the diplomat/pres what what would you do? > [@Bayard](#): > > Might just be me, but I live in a world where there are a range of options between cowering in fear and sparking an arms race with a tweet. Agreed. Since it’s only at the Tweet stage right now, I really don’t care that much. If it goes further, given the right reasons I’d be behind it. As a rhetorical device used as it is today, again I don’t much care or see it as bad. Then again I don’t hate Trump. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/16 "2016-12-23T02:24:32Z")
I don’t hate Trump. I think he’s a selfish fucking prick who is in way over his head who knows fucking zero about the job he will be starting, and who has no conception or care of the damage he can cause. But I don’t hate him. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/17 "2016-12-23T02:31:39Z")
I don’t think there should ever be a “tweet stage” in discussions about nuclear arms. Full disclosure: I fucking hate Trump. But I don’t think it’s my pure partisan hate that makes me say I’d rather the President think things through a little better before spouting off about FUCKING NUKES! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/18 "2016-12-23T02:33:00Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I don’t hate Trump. I think he’s a selfish fucking prick who is in way over his head who knows fucking zero about the job he will be starting, and who has no conception or care of the damage he can cause. But I don’t hate him. I don’t hate him either. Rather, I find him disgusting for all the reasons you just listed plus a few others. I also find the fools who voted for him disgusting. Trump’s a complete buffoon and an incompetent sadly elected by other buffoons who voted out of fears they imagined. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/19 "2016-12-23T02:34:07Z")
> [@HeweyLogan](#): > > Good. Care to explain or were you merely clearing your throat? ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411/20 "2016-12-23T02:37:51Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. In your mind, this qualifies as a reasoned response? Probably the most interesting conversation I had with with a Trump supporter before the election was with a young cow-orker who was a Trump supporter. It was pretty enlightening. He was of Mexican descent so it opens with him asking me if I honestly felt like Trump was racist against Mexicans and I said honestly, no I didn’t. I asked him why he supported Trump and he turned out to be a one issue voter. He wanted Trump because “He’d give America it’s balls back.” I went down my long laundry list on why I did not support Trump and he agreed with almost every point I made sometimes taking a while to get there( silently - I didn’t push ) and a couple of times he just shook his head but after each point he repeated “but we need Trump, America needs to get it’s balls back.” Cool story bro I know but it explains why I’m not shocked at all to see others may be excited to see this as good as it is a step in a direction that they can see as America getting it’s balls back. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-tweets-apparent-call-for-more-u-s-nuclear-weapons/775411.md?page=2)