We must expand nuclear weapon:Trump
Donald Trump has called for the US to "greatly strengthen and expand" its nuclear arsenal.
The
president-elect, who takes office next month, said the US must take
such action "until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding
nukes".He spoke hours after President Vladimir Putin said Russia needs to bolster its military nuclear potential.
The US has 7,100 nuclear weapons and Russia has 7,300, according to the US nonpartisan Arms Control Association.
Mr Trump also wrote to criticise a resolution being considered at the UN and to reiterate his vow to "drain the swamp" - a reference to corruption in Washington DC.
His tweet came only hours after President Putin met with his military advisers to recap Russian military activities in 2016
"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," Mr Putin said.
Russia, he added "must carefully monitor any changes in the balance of power and in the political-military situation in the world, especially along Russian borders", possibly referring to US missile defences in eastern Europe which the Pentagon says are to counter Iran.
During Mr Trump's campaign he referred to nuclear proliferation as the "single biggest problem" facing the world, but also said he could not rule out using nuclear weapons against Europe.
Mr Trump's defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton repeatedly cast her opponent during the campaign as too erratic and lacking in the diplomatic skills required to avoid a nuclear war.
She mocked him by saying "a man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes".
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