&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Missiles…nuclear missiles’: Trump makes bizarre nuke joke a day before Hiroshima anniversary. Was he actually joking?")
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Aug 5) talked about installing nuclear missiles on the White House roof. Trump reportedly said that in jest, cracking the "joke" just a day before Japan and the world marked the 80th anniversary of "Little Man", the nuclear bomb that devastated Hiroshima, killing around 140,000 people — killed by the colossal blast and the ball of fire, and also later by the radiation. This comes as tensions between the United States and Russia reach an all-time high and as Trump drags India into the mix, imposing a 25 per cent tariff and a penalty for purchasing Russian oil.
What did Trump say?
Trump, who has recently announced plans to revamp the White House to resemble his Mar-a-Lago estate and construct a new 90,000 square foot ballroom that will cost $200 million, was taking an impromptu walk on the roof of the White House briefing room, when some correspondents shouted out a question: "Mr President, what are you trying to build?".
The Commander-in-Chief's answer? "Missiles...nuclear missiles". He said this while pointing towards the White House roof beneath him and executing a weird, rigid-armed motion twice, supposedly acting out the launch of a missile. The gesture was reminiscent of the "Nazi salute" gesture made by Elon Musk in January. Videos of the interaction are going viral on social media; watch it here.
Was Trump serious about nuclear missiles inside the White House compound?
Trump has a twisted sense of humour and is known to joke…a lot, and hopefully this is one such incident. However, it must be noted that Trump seemed to be evaluating several spots, and this inspection of sorts comes amid America's serious nuclear posturing against Russia. Just last week, Trump ordered that nuclear submarines be positioned near Russia. This was done after Trump and Russian former president Dmitry Medvedev traded verbal blows online, with some serious threats being issued, including one about Russia's Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities.
