‘This is insane’: Trump ignites online panic with ‘madman’ tweets about ramping up nuclear weapons
The combination of Donald Trump, Twitter and nuclear weapons seems to be enough to send chills down some people’s spine.
President-elect Trump on Thursday tweeted out that he wants to “greatly strengthen and expand” America’s nuclear arsenal, on the grounds that it would make the world “come to its senses” on reducing the number of nuclear weapons it produces.
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
The timing of Trump’s tweet is interesting because it came after Russia said this week that it was looking to strengthen its own nuclear capabilities to be able to penetrate missile defense shields.
Regardless, Trump tweeting about nuclear weapons was enough to set off panic across the internet — some choice reactions to Trump’s tweet follow below.
LOL we're all going to die. https://t.co/WyMCXcpI6G
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/harries_matthew/status/811997823508025344
Trump is on the toilet tweeting about nuclear war https://t.co/qe4ioeVxFo
— Slacks (@JaySlacks) December 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/jbrodkin/status/811977735325315072
Donald Trump is repeating Nixon's Madman theory of nuclear deterrence but with an actual-ass madman in charge.
— Eric Brown (@ericbrownzzz) December 22, 2016
Problem: The world needs to come to its senses about nuclear weapons.
Trump’s Solution: More nuclear weapons for us!
— ryan (@ryanclassic) December 22, 2016
Looking at that Trump Nuclear Weapon tweet like pic.twitter.com/PyqkxV0LlB
— Dange Buckhouse (@DBuckhouse1) December 22, 2016
This makes no sense.
It also doesn't make me feel any better that Trump won't start a nuclear war.
We're all gonna die. https://t.co/lRWq8kYZEr
— Ashley (@Ashley67311506) December 22, 2016
The anti-NATO #Trump wants to increase the nuclear arms race. Fucking moron. $spy #politicalrisk https://t.co/CIsqhPkyVO
— echotoall (@echotoall) December 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/ADutifulDreamer/status/811980258576658432
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/811978566195970048
On a more serious note, nuclear arms expert Joshua Pollack outlines why such a strategy is unlikely to reduce the total number of nuclear weapons in the world:
You can spend unlimited sums chasing nuclear primacy, but can't catch it. A tweetstorm in six parts: https://t.co/UG7jpwsfG0
— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) December 22, 2016
This message implies that other countries – "the world" – have to be the adults when it comes to nuclear restraint. https://t.co/X5gLlYZYKE
— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) December 22, 2016
But is there any doubt that Russia can keep up with America in nuclear numbers? This is one reason for bilateral arms control: to cap costs.
— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) December 22, 2016
China, 1964: "Break the Nuclear Monopoly! Eliminate Nuclear Weapons!" https://t.co/RcfSckzWpM
— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) December 22, 2016
This is a game that many sides can play. There is no last, winning move when it comes to arms-racing. (END)
— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) December 22, 2016
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https://twitter.com/matthewamiller/status/1248241999297339394
https://twitter.com/andeparks/status/1248255118291742722
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