Trump wanted tenfold increase in nuclear weapons, says network

Bruce Guthrie
Oct 12, 2017, updated Oct 12, 2017

Protesters unfurl an anti-nukes banner outside Donald Trump's Washington hotel Photo:Getty

Just hours after one of America’s biggest news networks reported that Donald Trump wanted a tenfold increase in US nuclear weapons, he threatened to strip them of their broadcasting licence.

“With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for Country!,” Mr Trump tweeted early Wednesday, US time.

NBC had earlier posted a story alleging the president told a meeting of national security leaders in July that he wanted “what amounted to a nearly tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal”.

According to the network, Mr Trump had been shown a slide that showed the steady reduction of US nukes since the late sixties, in line with post-cold war treaties.

“Trump indicated he wanted a bigger stockpile, not the bottom position on that downward-sloping curve,” NBC reported.

They based their story, they said, on conversations with three people who were in the room at the time.

Mr Trump’s advisers, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, were surprised, according to the network.

“Officials briefly explained the legal and practical impediments to a nuclear buildup and how the current military posture is stronger than it was at the height of the buildup,” the network reported, adding that no expansion is planned.

It was the second time in a week that NBC had referenced the July meeting. The first report suggested secretary of state Tillerson had emerged from the gathering calling the president a “moron” – they repeated that claim today too.

“The July 20 meeting was described as a lengthy and sometimes tense review of worldwide U.S. forces and operations,” NBC reported. “It was soon after the meeting broke up that officials who remained behind heard Tillerson say that Trump was a “moron”.

Mr Trump was quick to denounce the latest NBC story in an early morning tweet: “Fake @NBCNews made up a story that I wanted a “tenfold” increase in our U.S. nuclear arsenal. Pure fiction, made up to demean. NBC = CNN!”

He followed up almost immediately with his veiled threat to strip NBC of their licence.

Fake @NBCNews made up a story that I wanted a "tenfold" increase in our U.S. nuclear arsenal. Pure fiction, made up to demean. NBC = CNN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

The threat provoked widespread anger on social media and elsewhere with many attacking the president for directly challenging the First Amendment, which guarantees the freedom of the press.

The Federal Communications Commission issues broadcasting licenses in the US largely to ensure stations don’t trip over each other when transmitting.

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel tweeted in response to the president’s threat against NBC: “Not how it works.”

By mid-afternoon Mr Trump’s anger at the NBC report was rising. During a joint appearance in the Oval Office with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mr Trump declared: “It is frankly disgusting the press is able to write whatever it wants to write.”

“The press should speak more honestly,” he went on. “I’ve seen a tremendously dishonest press.”

He said he knew the nuclear “capability we have, believe me, and it is awesome. It is massive.” A tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal would be “totally unnecessary.”

“They make up stories like that, that’s just made up, and the generals will tell you that,” Mr Trump said. “And then they have sources that don’t exist, they don’t exist. They make up the sources. There are no sources.”

Mr Trump’s defence secretary, James Mattis supported his boss, calling the NBC report “absolutely false” and “irresponsible.”