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White House denounces Trump’s Asian nuclear idea as ‘catastrophic’ White House denounces Trump’s Asian nuclear idea as ‘catastrophic’
(about 2 hours later)
The White House on Thursday slammed Donald Trump’s suggestion that Japan and South Korea obtain nuclear weapons for self-defense as a “catastrophic” idea that would run counter to decades of U.S. foreign policy. The White House on Thursday slammed Donald Trump’s suggestion that Japan and South Korea obtain nuclear weapons for self-defense, calling it a “catastrophic” idea that would run counter to decades of U.S. foreign policy.
“The entire premise of American foreign policy on nuclear weapons for the last 70 years is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional states,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said when asked by reporters to respond to Trump’s comments. “That’s the position . . . of everybody who has occupied the Oval Office. It would be catastrophic if the United States shifted its position to somehow support adding nuclear weapons to additional countries.” “The entire premise of American foreign policy as it relates to nuclear weapons for the last 70 years is to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional states,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said when asked by reporters to respond to Trump’s comments. “That’s the position . . . of everybody who has occupied the Oval Office. It would be catastrophic were the United States to shift its position and indicate that we support somehow the proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional countries.”
The sharp response came as President Obama welcomed 50 world leaders to Washington for a nuclear security summit aimed at focusing global attention on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to terrorist groups and reducing nuclear stockpiles around the world.The sharp response came as President Obama welcomed 50 world leaders to Washington for a nuclear security summit aimed at focusing global attention on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to terrorist groups and reducing nuclear stockpiles around the world.
[With ambitions tapered, Obama opens his last nuclear summit][With ambitions tapered, Obama opens his last nuclear summit]
Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, has suggested that the United States can no longer afford to protect Japan and South Korea under its nuclear security umbrella in the face of growing threats from a nuclear-armed North Korea. China, which also has tensions with the U.S. allies in the region, has a nuclear weapons arsenal as well.Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, has suggested that the United States can no longer afford to protect Japan and South Korea under its nuclear security umbrella in the face of growing threats from a nuclear-armed North Korea. China, which also has tensions with the U.S. allies in the region, has a nuclear weapons arsenal as well.
Rhodes emphasized the “rock-solid security assurances” from the United States to its allies and said that Trump’s remarks are “not particularly relevant to serious discussions” about the security situation in Northeast Asia. Rhodes emphasized the “rock-solid security assurances” from the United States to its allies and said Trump’s remarks are “not particularly relevant to serious discussions” about the security situation in Northeast Asia.
“It flies in the face of decades of bipartisan” U.S. policy, Rhodes said. “It flies in the face of decades of bipartisan national security doctrine,” Rhodes said.
Obama opened the two-day summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye as he sought to signal a unified front against the growing threat of North Korea.Obama opened the two-day summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye as he sought to signal a unified front against the growing threat of North Korea.
The president emphasized the importance of enforcing economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations on North Korea in the wake of Pyongyang’s claim of a hydrogen bomb test in January.The president emphasized the importance of enforcing economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations on North Korea in the wake of Pyongyang’s claim of a hydrogen bomb test in January.
“Trilateral security cooperation is essential to maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia, deterring the North Korean nuclear threat and the potential of nuclear proliferation,” Obama told reporters.“Trilateral security cooperation is essential to maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia, deterring the North Korean nuclear threat and the potential of nuclear proliferation,” Obama told reporters.
The president also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a bilateral summit that spanned a range of issues, including security in Asia, the economy, counterterrorism efforts, climate change, human rights and cyber and maritime security. The United States and China pledged to sign a global climate agreement to reduce greenhouse gases, announced during an international summit in Paris in December, as soon as the document is finalized next month.
“President Xi and I are both committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and full implementation of U.N. sanctions” on North Korea, Obama said before his meeting with the Chinese leader. “So we’re going to discuss how we can discourage action like nuclear missile tests that escalate tensions and violate international obligations.”
[Japan, South Korea bewildered by Trump’s suggestion on nukes]
Trump’s rise in the polls during the 2016 campaign has alarmed officials in Tokyo and Seoul who fear that the real estate magnate would seek to withdraw from longtime alliances in the region. Trump has questioned U.S. trade policies with Japan, in addition to his concerns over the security partnerships.Trump’s rise in the polls during the 2016 campaign has alarmed officials in Tokyo and Seoul who fear that the real estate magnate would seek to withdraw from longtime alliances in the region. Trump has questioned U.S. trade policies with Japan, in addition to his concerns over the security partnerships.
White House officials said Trump’s stance was not discussed during the trilateral meeting.White House officials said Trump’s stance was not discussed during the trilateral meeting.
Obama is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday afternoon. Officials said the president will meet with French President François Hollande on Friday. Japan Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura declined to comment directly on Trump’s remarks, but he said that “the world is watching very closely” and emphasized that Tokyo will expect to maintain a strong alliance with Washington no matter who wins the White House in November.
“Whoever becomes the president of the United States, Japan considers the Japan-U.S. alliance to be the cornerstone of Japanese foreign policy-making,” Kawamura said. “Japan and the United States will continue to work closely for the peace and prosperity of the Asia Pacific and the world.”
Officials said Obama will meet with French President François Hollande on Friday.