Last night, news broke that North Korea has likely conducted a successful nuclear test — this would be the fifth test by the country and the second one in just 8 months.
That’s concerning enough on it’s own. Now, add to it that the GOP presidential nominee has said “you’ve got to give [Kim Jong Un] credit” and believes our policy on North Korea should be to tell China,“you solve the problem,” and it’s down right terrifying. Just like he’s praised Vladimir Putin, Trump has admired dictators Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong Un.
Today on CBS This Morning, Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway refused to explain how he would handle the situation because “he’s not going to reveal all of his plans.” But the few foreign policy “plans” Trump has revealed — such as saying Japan and South Korea should have their own nuclear weapons — show a complete lack of understanding of foreign affairs and put our national security at risk.
The stakes of the 2016 presidential election continue to rise, and Trump cannot be trusted to keep Americans and their families safe.
Background:
Trump Considered Supporting Japan, South Korea, And Saudi Arabia As Nuclear Powers
Trump Supported Japan, North Korea To Obtain Nuclear Weapons
[Video] Trump On Japan And South Korea: “Maybe They Would Be Better Off […] With Nukes.” Interview. Trump: It’s not like, gee whiz, nobody has them. So, North Korea has nukes. Japan has a problem with that. I mean, they have a big problem with that. Maybe they would in fact be better off if they defend themselves from North Korea. Wallace: With nukes? Trump: Maybe they would be better off — including with nukes, yes, including with nukes. Wallace: In South Korea, with nukes? Trump: South Korea is right next door, just so you understand. [Fox News Sundayw/ Chris Wallace:,4/3/16]
[Video] Trump: “At Some Point We Have To Say, You Know What, We’re Better Off If Japan Protects Itself Against This Maniac In North Korea, We’re Better Off, Frankly, If South Korea Is Going To Start To Protect Itself.” Town Hall. Cooper: So you have no problem with Japan and South Korea having… Trump: I thought… Cooper: … nuclear weapons. Trump: At some point we have to say, you know what, we’re better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea, we’re better off, frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself, we have… [CNN’s Town Hall: 160329_MM_83499_A.mp4, 3/29/16]
Position Lampooned By Arms Control Experts
Dartmouth’s Jennifer Lind On Trump’s Comments Considering Support For Japan, South Korea To Acquire Nuclear Weapons: “With One Blasé Comment, This Entire Foundation Of US Grand Strategy Is Just Blasted Away.” According to Vox, “Of all the outrageous things Donald Trump has said, his proposal to withdraw US military support from Japan and South Korea, and even encourage them to acquire nuclear weapons, might not sound particularly egregious. But this would be a big deal, overturning 70 years of American foreign policy with potentially sweeping implications. ‘This is basically like, ‘Hey, maybe we should think about communism,’’ Jennifer Lind, a professor at Dartmouth who studies East Asia, tells me. ‘With one blasé comment, this entire foundation of US grand strategy is just blasted away.’” [Vox, 3/31/16]
Arms Control Association’s Kingston Reif: “If South Korea And Japan Were To Acquire Their Own Nuclear Deterrents, That Would Send An Incredibly Dangerous Signal To Our Allies In The Middle East.” According to Business Insider, “Kingston Reif, the director for disarmament and threat-reduction policy at the Arms Control Association, made a similar point. ‘If South Korea and Japan were to acquire their own nuclear deterrents, that would send an incredibly dangerous signal to our allies in the Middle East,’ he told Business Insider. ‘It would be incredibly destabilizing development,’ he added.” [Business Insider, 3/30/16]
Arms Control Association’s Kingston Reif: China Would Likely Accelerate Its Nuclear Modernization, Increase Arsenal Size If South Korea And Japan Acquired Nuclear Weapons. According to Business Insider, “China’s ‘doctrine regarding when it might employ nuclear weapons might be described as one of minimum deterrence,’ [Kingston Reif, the director for disarmament and threat-reduction policy at the Arms Control Association] said. ‘China right now is believed to have no more than 300 total nuclear weapons, which is a small arsenal relative to what the US and Russia possess.’ He continued: But in the event that South Korea and Japan acquire independent nuclear weapons, it’s highly likely that China would revisit its minimum deterrence posture and likely accelerate its ongoing nuclear modernization efforts and consider increasing the overall size of its nuclear arsenal.” [Business Insider, 3/30/16]
Trump Said He Would Support Saudi Arabia Development Of Nuclear Weapons
[Video] Trump Said He Would “Absolutely” Allow Saudi Arabia To Develop Nuclear Weapons. “Anderson Cooper: So you have no problem with Japan and South Korea having nuclear weapons. Donald Trump: At some point we have to say, you know what, we’re better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea, we’re better off, frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself, we have… Cooper: Saudi Arabia, nuclear weapons? Trump: Saudi Arabia, absolutely.” [CNN Milwaukee Republican Presidential Town Hall, 3/29/16]
Published: Sep 9, 2016