Trump's call to boost America's nuclear capabilities raises hackles

Washington

PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump called for an expansion of the United States' nuclear capabilities on Thursday, in a tweet that alarmed non-proliferation specialists who said that a boost to the US arsenal could fuel global tensions. In his Twitter post, Mr Trump said: "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes."

When asked to clarify his comments later, he said: "Let it be an arms race", and that the United States would win it, MSNBC reported on Friday. "We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all," he added.