Donald Trump wants to expand America’s nuclear arsenal in bid to make US ‘top of the pack’ in atomic weapons
PRESIDENT Donald Trump has revealed he wants to build up the US nuclear weapon arsenal to make it the “top of the pack”.
Speaking on Thursday, Trump said the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity.
The US president also complained about Russian deployment of a cruise missile in violation of an arms control treaty during the interview with Reuters.
He said he would speak on the subject with Russian President Vladimir Putin – when and if they meet.
Speaking from his desk in the Oval Office, Trump said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea “very easily if they want to”, heaping pressure on Beijing to exert more influence to control Pyongyang.
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The president also said he was “very angry” at North Korea’s ballistic missile tests, and said accelerating a missile defence system for Japan and South Korea – two US allies – was one of many options on offer.
On Wednesday, a US government report claimed Donald Trump would need to spend £320billion on his nuclear weapons programme to keep up with the Russians.
Expert say to make his country’s arsenal ‘”viable” for 21st century warfare the new President needs to spend a staggering $40 billion (£32billion) every year for the next 10 years.
The report – – was produced by the Congressional Budget Office which is a nonpartisan agency which compiles official spending reports.
Roughly half of the money would go towards modernising strategic forces, including new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, and ballistic missile subs.
Another £7 billion would go towards tactical nukes, particularly certifying the new B61-12 tactical nuclear gravity bomb to work with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Billions more would go toward updating nuclear weapons labs and command and control for nuclear forces.
Most of America’s current nuclear arsenal dates back to the Cold War and a lot of it is deemed ‘obsolete’ by military leaders.
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