US president Donald Trump has admitted he believes that nuclear weapons are the greatest threat to humanity, starkly warning that the use of ‘monster’ warheads may ‘end the world’.
Trump, in charge of the second-largest nuclear stockpile in the world, made the shock statement in an interview with Fox News, telling the broadcaster: ‘The level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine.’
He said: ‘We spend a lot of money of nuclear weapons – the level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine.
‘It’s just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that if it’s used, it’s probably the end of the world.’
The Republican added that the threat of climate change was nothing compared to the risks posed by nuclear weapons, claiming that a nuclear war ‘could happen tomorrow.’
Trump explained: ‘I watched Biden for years say the existential threat is from the climate. I said ‘no’.
‘The greatest is sitting on shelves in various countries called ‘nuclear weapons’ that are big monsters that can blow your heads off for miles and miles and miles.’
While it is not known if this his administration’s official position, Trump has signalled that he is keen to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world.
US president Donald Trump has admitted he believes that nuclear weapons are the greatest threat to humanity
Trump has signalled that he is keen to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world (File image)
Last month, Trump said he was willing to reopen arms controls negotiations with both China and Russia.
He said at the White House: ‘There’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons. We already have so many.
‘You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over. And here we are building new nuclear weapons, and they’re building nuclear weapons.’
He added: ‘We’re all spending a lot of money that we could be spending on other things that are actually, hopefully, much more productive.’
While the US currently has 5,177 nuclear warheads, including 1,477 waiting to be dismantled, this is a far cry from its peak stockpile of 31,255 warheads in the late 1960s.
The disarmament process has massive slowed down since the mid-2000s, however.
But the US’ decision on whether to follow through with disarmament will also have to consider the stockpiles of other nuclear countries.
Russia has the highest number of nukes with nearly 5,600, with China a distant third with around 350.
In 2022, then-president Joe Biden approved a major strategic plan to refocus the US’ nuclear deterrence strategy on the rapid expansion on China’s arsenal of deadly warheads.
Refurbished Minuteman missile engines awaiting shipment along with Peacekeeper missile motors
An inert Minuteman III missile is seen in a training launch tube at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota
Trump’s European allies, who have been forced in recent weeks to rethink how they handle nuclear weapons, have said they are willing to step up their nuclear deterrences.
French president Emmanuel Macron gravely said he was open to discussing how to extend the protection offered by nuclear missiles to his nation’s European allies.
He said in an address to the nation: ‘Our nuclear deterrent protects us: it’s complete, sovereign, French through and through.
‘But, responding to the historic call of the future German Chancellor, I have decided to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European continent through our (nuclear) deterrence.’
And last night, Poland’s Donald Tusk said he wants access to nuclear weapons as he plans to have every adult male undergo military training to grow a 500,000-strong army in a bid to deter Putin.
The Polish Prime Minister revealed he was having serious discussions with France about falling under the protections of their nuclear umbrella, to his parliament on Friday.
It comes after French President Emmanuel Macron offered to extend his nation’s nuclear protection to European allies and invited military chiefs to discuss putting boots on the ground in Ukraine.
During his announcement, Tusk emphasised the Eastern European county could not rely on conventional weaponry alone, noting that Ukraine had surrendered its nuclear ammunition to continue to be attacked by Russia.
‘We must be aware that Poland must reach for the most modern capabilities also related to nuclear weapons and modern unconventional weapons … this is a race for security, not for war,’ he said.
The Polish leader has also set his sights on dramatically growing his army, which currently sits at 200,000 soldiers – the third largest in NATO after the US and Turkey – to a 500,000-strong legion.
Tusk said the military training would create a reserve force that is ‘adequate to possible threats’, with aims to finalise scheme plans – open to women volunteers – by the end of the year.
The significant military expansion comes as worries grow across the continent after President Donald Trump shifted the US position from being a defender of Ukraine to withholding military aid and intelligence to signalling a support for Kremlin’s position.
