No desire to increase US nuclear stockpile: Trump

Washington D.C. [United States], Oct 12 (ANI): United States President Donald Trump has denied media reports that he wanted to increase the country's nuclear arsenal by nearly tenfold and said that he just wanted them to be modernised.

"No, I never discussed increasing it. I want it in perfect shape. That was just fake news by NBC, which gives a lot of fake news, lately," Trump told reporters at the White House during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday.

"No, I never discuss -- I think somebody said I want ten times the nuclear weapons that we have right now. Right now, we have so many nuclear weapons. I want them in perfect condition, perfect shape. That's the only thing I've ever discussed," he added.

Trump said it was disgusting the way the press is able to write whatever they want to write.

"No, I want to have absolutely perfectly maintained -- which we are in the process of doing -- nuclear force. But when they said I want ten times what we have right now, it's totally unnecessary. Believe me. Because I know what we have right now," he said.

The US President further said that the country does not need to increase its nuclear arsenal but they need to be modernised and have to be in 'tip-top shape'.

Earlier, Trump also suggested pulling NBC's network's broadcasting license after its explosive news report, stating that the US President had sought a massive increase of 'tenfold' in the nation's nuclear arsenal.

"With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!" Trump tweeted.

Secretary of Defence James Mattis also denied the NBC report, saying, "Recent reports that the President called for an increase in the US nuclear arsenal are absolutely false. This kind of erroneous reporting is irresponsible." (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI