By: Valerie Insinna
WASHINGTON — In 140 characters, President-elect Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the national security community yet again with a tweet that signaled continued support of the nuclear triad — but could also suggest a much more drastic expansion to the nuclear arsenal.
“The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes,” he tweeted Thursday at 11:50 a.m. Eastern time.
Throughout his campaign, Trump’s comments on nuclear capabilities were often difficult to penetrate, giving hope to arms control advocates that he could reduce the size of the enterprise. But Trump’s comments on Thursday offered his strongest statements yet in support of the nuclear arsenal, although he offered no specifics on the policy or procurement steps he could take to grow nuclear capabilities.
All three legs of the nuclear triad, comprised of intercontinental ballistic missiles, bombers and ballistic missile submarines, are aging and in need of replacement starting in the mid 2020s. The Air Force and Navy are in the beginning stages for three modernization programs — the B-21 bomber, Ohio replacement submarine, and Ground Based Strategic Deterrent — to do just that.
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