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IcyPeas

(25,351 posts)

53. BBC: Donald Trump's nuclear fixation - from the 1980s to now*

Sun Mar 8, 2026, 11:26 PM

Sunday

[Note: This BBC article is from 2017 so the word "now" means 2017]

In August MSNBC's Joe Scarborough reported that candidate Trump had asked his foreign policy advisers several times why the US couldn't use its nuclear weapons - a claim the Trump campaign denied.

The report, however, followed on the heels of an April 2016 town hall forum exchange between Mr Trump and MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who asked him why he had refused to categorically rule out the use of nuclear weapons.

"Would there be a time when it could be used?" Trump replied. "Possibly. Possibly."

When pressed on the risks of openly talking of using nuclear weapons, Mr Trump said: "Then why are we making them? Why do we make them?"
......
In 1984 - at the height of the Cold War - Mr Trump even told a Washington Post interviewer he wanted to be put in charge of US-Russia nuclear arms negotiations.

"It would take an hour-and-a-half to learn everything there is to learn about missiles," Mr Trump said. "I think I know most of it anyway."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40879868

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I think Trump is going to drop a nuke. [View all] Coventina Sunday OP

I think you are right. ananda Sunday #1

Careful what you put out into the universe. It has a way of manifesting itself. PeaceWave Sunday #2

So it's my fault if he does it? Coventina Sunday #3

Yeah ABC123Easy Sunday #22

There's no Powerball drawing on Sundays AZ8theist Sunday #33

Let's put it to the test. Everybody wish for Easy to win tomorrow! Marcuse Sunday #48

Wishing is a silly waste of time..... AZ8theist Monday #74

He already said he wants to, it's not exactly a big secret. The guy is batshit, hates the world, and has the codes. Blues Heron Sunday #4

Sardanapalus syndrome. n/t Coventina Sunday #6

If He Did That Might Give Putin Cover in Ukraine n/t ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #39

They'll be going off like popcorn at that point Blues Heron Sunday #47

My thinking is popsdenver Monday #106

Hiroshima and Nagasaki didn't become uninhabitable. Crunchy Frog Monday #113

I would think the ones used on Japan popsdenver Monday #115

Ionizing radiation doesn't care about borders Soul_of_Wit Monday #116

Hey S o W popsdenver Monday #125

15-21 kilotons. joho260 Monday #129

Yes, off by a factor 0f 1,000 (n/m) Soul_of_Wit 13 hrs ago #136

Yes, if he does I'm pretty sure that Putin will drop nukes on Ukraine.😭 Crunchy Frog Monday #112

Yes, he has the codes, but setting off a nuke is wnylib Monday #75

wrong Whip-poor-will Monday #78

Is there anyone around him Bettie Monday #88

I honestly think that... Shipwack Monday #108

I put in to the universe SocialDemocrat61 Sunday #38

Anyone popsdenver Monday #107

Yeah but it would still be funny. SocialDemocrat61 Monday #111

I put into the universe that he would die when he got Covid in 2020. Didn't work. Crunchy Frog Monday #114

It's pretty selective, wouldn't you say? RussBLib Monday #69

It also has a consistent habit of disappearing its assertions Torchlight Monday #86

If that were true mercuryblues Monday #98

Get rid of trump. Nuke him instead. .... I am being facitious but thai whats in my dream. Trueblue1968 Monday #124

Recommended. H2O Man Sunday #5

I agree. n/t LuckyCharms Sunday #7

Yes he can and will ! kimbutgar Sunday #8

If Hegseth gets his way Diraven Sunday #9

Don't Forget That Hegseth Believes His Ideas Are ORDAINED! n/t ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #43

I could see him using a tactical nuke JBTaurus83 Sunday #10

I am thinking the same and they will spin it Cosmocat Sunday #23

Only Thing Slowing Him Is No 8K Cameras Mounted On the Fighters... YET! n/t ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #45

I hope that such a possible event never occurs. Dan Sunday #11

India/Pakistan JBTaurus83 Sunday #18

Don't Forget That Vlad Has Plenty of Current Tactical Stock 4 Ukraine n/t ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #49

They are no where near 'Tactical'... SonOfNebanaube Monday #90

If he does it will be his downfall. gab13by13 Sunday #12

if he tries to institute a draft, mopinko Sunday #41

The Longer This Man Is Our President The More Often This Scene Applies! ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #51

If he were to do it, it would be the downfall of us all peggysue2 Sunday #50

All the more bdamomma Monday #95

Should he do so, he and his gangsters shall all find themselves riding a tiger they can never dismount: struggle4progress Sunday #13

It's not them I'm worried about. It's the rest of us. BadgerMom Monday #65

Or maybe no matter how crazy they are, there are evenually enough non-crazies to checkmate them struggle4progress Monday #67

Crimson Tide ending struggle4progress Sunday #14

Can We Enter Movie Reality & Emergency Appoint... ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #55

Leslie Nielsen's dead... regnaD kciN Sunday #63

At Least HE'D Be Convincing in the Role! n/t ForeGoneLegsBirne Monday #79

Fiction is also a way of thinking through the possibilities struggle4progress Sunday #64

After Venezuelan boat bombings, I heard Frank Drebin's voice: "Luckily, they turned out to be drug dealers." betsuni Monday #72

Fuck yeah! ABC123Easy Monday #94

How about Martin Sheen Oppaloopa Monday #126

Thanks to Republicans.... Blue Owl Sunday #15

He serves as the lightning rod tonekat Sunday #61

My guess is that there are a lot of them who are or wanna be doing the same thing.... CTyankee Monday #96

Dear God don't even think that thought. pnwest Sunday #16

Charter of the International Military Tribunal struggle4progress Sunday #17

How long have they been out of existence? mahatmakanejeeves Sunday #20

It's an international precedent struggle4progress Sunday #21

Vasily Arkhipov struggle4progress Sunday #19

Thank you for the reminder. niyad Sunday #36

Never heard of him - Thanks for sharing. Dan Sunday #44

There is no Plan B after a nuclear bomb. BarbD Sunday #24

Right you are, and I believe the other Repukes realize that FakeNoose Sunday #32

That's Held Us for 80 Years.. Fingers Crossed That It Holds ForeGoneLegsBirne Sunday #58

If he gets that special feeling. milestogo Sunday #25

Every single person who ever voted for him or failed to vote against him will be culpable. RockRaven Sunday #26

I really hope you are wrong. At the least, I hope someone stops him. Jim__ Sunday #27

His big barfy bunker isn't done yet oldtime dfl_er Sunday #28

I think it is a distinct possibility, and I am horrified. We all need to be calling our Congresscritters ms liberty Sunday #29

Ominous signs. FalloutShelter Sunday #30

Not a chance. Groundhawg Sunday #31

Based on? niyad Sunday #35

Hey, don't give up! Another Jackalope Sunday #42

Yeah. I'm trying to remind myself of that, EVERY day. calimary Monday #66

I keep thinking of a speech given by Dr. Helen Caldicott (Physicians niyad Sunday #34

I predicted this very thing to a co-worker last week. Laffy Kat Sunday #37

It's the ultimate expression of power. YodaMom2 Sunday #40

I used to entertain a small (VERRRRRRRY SMALL) ray of hope based niyad Sunday #46

There is a related comment and thread right here on DU AverageOldGuy Sunday #52

BBC: Donald Trump's nuclear fixation - from the 1980s to now* IcyPeas Sunday #53

Certain Fundie Christians think this war is going to usher in the Second Coming of Christ neverforget Sunday #54

...And There's a LOT More Where They Came From.. ForeGoneLegsBirne Monday #80

They're in for the shock of their lives, if that's any comfort. Crunchy Frog Monday #118

I guess one big question is: AverageOldGuy Sunday #56

Are you asking if China or Russia want to commit suicide to help Iran? I am guessing not EX500rider Monday #109

I don't believe that they would hit us in retaliation. They both know they'd be wiped off the face of the Earth. Crunchy Frog Monday #120

Sadly, I had the very same thought.... ashredux Sunday #57

Fuck me. LudwigPastorius Sunday #59

I don't think he will.... Bayard Sunday #60

He'll send ground troops first. iemanja Sunday #62

I thought you wrote "dropping a duke" like BigmanPigman Monday #68

No one ForgedCrank Monday #70

So reassuring! dpibel Monday #71

not until whatever is under the ball room is complete. rampartd Monday #73

I'm sure that he has other bunkers available to him. If he's going to do it he won't wait on the ballroom. Crunchy Frog Monday #121

Trump: "Just a little one . . . . . " no_hypocrisy Monday #76

He definitely wants to be the one to push the button. live love laugh Monday #77

Turn the desert to glass. Historic NY Monday #81

I really bdamomma Monday #82

Putin might actually feel like he'd benefit from it. He might see it as freeing him to nuke Ukraine. Crunchy Frog Monday #122

Crap bdamomma Monday #133

It's not impossible Renew Deal Monday #83

That's what Bibi and Bonesaw want, too. Kid Berwyn Monday #84

I don't think he will. MineralMan Monday #85

It's quite likely Bibi has the same itch... ananda Monday #89

Trump might encourage Bibi to do it. MineralMan Monday #91

Bibi's aleady doing the heavy work across the ME.. ananda Monday #92

Wouldn't surprise me at this point in his mental devolution Torchlight Monday #87

I Won't Diminish Your Concern ProfessorGAC Monday #93

I'd bet he wants to, but hopefully someone will convince him not to. lark Monday #97

But it will be a "small" one... kentuck Monday #99

If they don't, and soon, we're all screwed. Joinfortmill Monday #100

nope NoRethugFriends Monday #101

Congress had a chance to get a handle on this CanonRay Monday #102

Prevailing Winds JPK Monday #103

Same occurred to me recently BaronChocula Monday #104

I agree.While he is playing mighty man with his toy soldiers... pandr32 Monday #105

He's certainly crazy enough to attempt as much, but I doubt an order to do would be obeyed. NNadir Monday #110

I agree Quanto Magnus Monday #117

SAD part is here we are, thinking this. NEVER before have i had these thoughts. but bluestarone Monday #119

He'll never win the Nobel Peace Prize if he does that. Crunchy Frog Monday #123

This is terrifying but nothing he has done so far contradicts this prediction. He is obsessed with power and Pisces Monday #127

Jaded enid602 Monday #128

That really opens up the gates to Russia and China using theirs IronLionZion Monday #130

Truthfully, I can't believe that he hasn't done it already. Orrex Monday #131

This is the reason I'm not sleeping at night! JustKay Monday #132

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NO-WHAT CAN WE DO?!!?!! CommonHumanity Monday #134

Coventina.......... Upthevibe Monday #135