Trump ‘prepared’ to handle responsibility of launching nukes

If and when the time comes, Donald Trump is prepared for the “tremendous responsibility” of pressing the nuclear button, the US president has said as Washington locks horns with a growing number of states.

The president made the comments during an interview with Piers Morgan on ITV’s Good Morning Britain program on Wednesday.

When asked about the worst-case scenario of potentially using nuclear weapons in a time of war, Trump noted that it is a “tremendous responsibility.” However, he is ready for the task.

It’s a responsibility I am prepared to handle.

A Trump aide carries the so-called "nuclear football," which contains launch codes for the US nuclear arsenal and which travels with the sitting US president, December 4, 2017 © Reuters / Jonathan Ernst

In the same interview, Trump also weighed in on tensions with Iran and the prospect of renewed military action in the Gulf. While the president said he would prefer to “talk” with Tehran over their differences, he insisted that denying the Iranians nuclear weapons was a  key issue.

That said, a full-fledged war with the country “is always” a chance, he cautioned.

Trump’s tough talk on Iran follows a period of rising tensions since last year’s pullout by the US from the historic Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. Iran maintains that it has fulfilled all of its obligations under the 2015 agreement, which puts limits on Iran’s nuclear development in exchange for the easing of economic restrictions among other measures.

Tensions have also been rising between Washington and China due to a tit-for-tat trade war along with accusations from Washington that Beijing has been using its telecommunications giant, Huawei, to aid in spying. The claims have been vehemently denied by China, which promised the move will not be left unanswered.

However, it is for Venezuela that the Trump administration has saved its most belligerent rhetoric. Following a failed coup attempt by Washington-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that South America might be the first port of call for US military intervention.

Speaking on ABC in May, Pompeo said that “all options are on the table” when it comes to possible intervention in Venezuela, adding that he was “confident” any use of hard power against Caracas would be “lawful.”

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