Trump paused Putin call to ask aides to explain nuclear arms treaty with Russia.



Trump denounced arms-reduction treaty in Putin call: report

In his January call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump condemned a 2010 nuclear arms-reduction treaty as a bad deal for the U.S., Reuters reported Thursday.

Asked by Putin about the possibility of extending the treaty capping U.S. and Russian deployment of nuclear warheads — known as New START — Trump reportedly paused to ask his aides what the treaty was, two U.S. officials and one former U.S. official briefed on the call told Reuters.


He then told Putin it was one of a number of bad deals negotiated by former President Barack Obama and that it favored Russia, before launching into a conversation about his own popularity, according to the sources.


The treaty gives both countries until 2018 to cut their strategic nuclear missile launchers to 1,550 — the lowest number in decades — and limits numbers of land- and submarine-launched missiles and heavy bombers.

Trump on the campaign trail had denounced the treaty, which he referred to as the “START Up” treaty. He claimed incorrectly that the Obama-era deal had allowed Russia to expand its nuclear capabilities while the U.S. could not. 
 
“They expanded and we didn't, 1,800 nuclear warheads,” he incorrectly argued during the final presidential debate in October. 
 
“Let me tell you, Putin has outsmarted ... Obama at every single step of the way. Take a look at the ‘START Up’ that they signed. The Russians have said, according to many, many reports, I can't believe they allowed us to do this. They create warheads, and we can't.”

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/318733-trump-denounced-arms-reduction-treaty-in-putin-call-report

Last edited by Goose (2/09/2017 2:00 pm)