Executive Director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation John Tierney responded to President Trump’s announcement on Aug. 1, Friday afternoon, that he was repositioning U.S. nuclear submarines in response to statements by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, by pointing out that the movement of the submarines isn’t out of the ordinary—its the escalating nuclear rhetoric that is the danger.
“The movement of submarines—including the ballistic missile submarines that I assume he is referring to—is not news; submarines are constantly moving. And as one would hope Mr. Trump knows—but can never be sure—nuclear-armed submarines can likely already reach targets without any need to reposition, such is their ability to send missiles long distances.
“Of major concern is nuclear rhetoric that could all too easily lead to mistake or miscalculation resulting in catastrophe,” Tierney said. “Trump’s verbal engagement with an essentially powerless Russian politician is inappropriate and unhelpful. What is needed is a steady hand, not someone who allows his anger at a personal insult to risk escalating to a dangerous situation. Trump has said before, and said again in this statement, that words matter and that the leaders of nuclear-armed states should not use language about nuclear weapons so casually. I agree and hope that his rash action today will be an end to nuclear threats from all sides.”
