Trump Threatens Withdrawal Of NBC Broadcast License After "Fake" Tenfold-Nuke Story | Zero Hedge
Description: "With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License?"
Keywords: Zero Hedge,Zerohedge,Finance,Economics,Markets,Politics,Analysis,Afghanistan,Donald Trump,Iran,MSNBC,national security,NBC,North Korea,Rex Tillerson,White House
Date: 2017-10-11T00:00:00Z

### The Best Predictor of Future Inflation is Flashing

by Phoenix Capital... - Oct 11, 2017 8:05 AM

The Fed is dramatically understating real inflation. Add it's doing this on purpose.

### Matt Damon And Russell Crowe Fingered For Pressuring Journalist To Kill Weinstein Sex Story

by ZeroPointNow - Oct 10, 2017 3:29 PM

Also - was Weinstein's iPhone the source of The Fappening?

### The Real Peak Complacency

by Sprott Money - Oct 10, 2017 4:27 PM

Americans – and Europeans and Japanese – have moved most of their financial lives online just as hackers and other cyber-enemies get the upper hand.

# Trump Threatens Withdrawal Of NBC Broadcast License After "Fake" Tenfold-Nuke Story

by Tyler Durden
Oct 11, 2017 9:58 AM
0
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Update (10:10 am ET): Continuing the theme of attacking NBC for spreading "fake news" and hearsay, President Donald Trump in a tweet accused the network of making up yet another unflattering story about Trump and his relationships with his most senior advisers. He blasted NBC's report as a work of "pure fiction" invented "to demean."

And, ratcheting up his feud with the network, Trump questioned if it might be appropriate to revoke the network's broadcasting license, adding that the network's shoddy reporting is "bad for the country."

> Fake @NBCNews made up a story that I wanted a "tenfold" increase in our U.S. nuclear arsenal. Pure fiction, made up to demean. NBC = CNN!

> — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

> 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!

> — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

Trump has regularly feuded with the media since taking office and has threatened to revoke White House press credentials on several occasions. But the latest tiff with NBC intensified after the network published a story alleging that Tillerson called Trump a "fucking moron" last week

* * *

Apparently, possessing the largest nuclear arsenal in the world isn’t enough for President Donald Trump. To wit, NBC News is reporting that Trump had asked for a nearly tenfold increase in the US’s nuclear arsenal during a Pentagon defense briefing in July involving several of the administration's most-senior officials.

According to the officials present at the meeting, Trump’s advisers, among them the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, were surprised by Trump's request, and quickly explained the legal and practical impediments to a nuclear buildup and how the current military posture is stronger than it was at the height of the build-up. In interviews. The president reportedly relented, and no such expansion is planned.

The description of the meeting was presumably leaked to NBC by the same sources who furnished the story about Tillerson’s now-infamous “fucking moron” comment. NBC reported that officials who lingered behind after the contentious July 20 security review heard Tillerson call the president a moron - suggesting that Tillerson made the comment in response to Trump’s "nuclear vision."

However, NBC clarified that it’s unclear which portion of the Pentagon briefing prompted Tillerson’s comment because officials who attended the two-hour session said it included a number of tense exchanges.

The revelation comes as the US and South Korea are bracing for North Korea to test more short-range rockets around the opening of the Chinese Communist Party’s twice-a-decade congress on Oct. 18. Trump also recently revealed that his administration wouldn’t certify the Iran deal, leaving it to Congress to decide if the country has complied with the terms of the 2015 multilateral Iranian nuclear deal.

Trump convened a meeting Tuesday with his national security team in which they discussed “a range of options to respond to any form of North Korean aggression or, if necessary, to prevent North Korea from threatening the US and its allies with nuclear weapons,” according to the White House.

Several people who attended the meeting said they didn’t believe the president’s comments represented a literal desire for the military to increase its stockpiles of nuclear missiles, but instead were rooted in Trump's limited und nuclear issues. The remark followed a presentation comparing the US’s nuclear capabilities with those of Russia.

Two officials present said that at multiple points in the discussion, the president expressed a desire not just for more nuclear weapons, but for additional US troops and military equipment.

As NBC pointed out, any increase in America’s nuclear arsenal would not only break with decades of US nuclear doctrine but also violate international disarmament treaties signed by every president since Ronald Reagan, potentially triggering the first nuclear arms race since the end of the Cold War.

> “If he were to increase the numbers, the Russians would match him, and the Chinese” would ramp up their nuclear ambitions, Joe Cirincione, a nuclear expert and MSNBC contributor, said, referring to the president.

> “There hasn’t been a military mission that’s required a nuclear weapon in 71 years,” Cirincione said.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that Trump suggested the nuclear arsenal should be expanded. Before the inauguration, then president-elect Trump tweeted that the US “must greatly expand its nuclear arsenal.” It’s also not the first time that the president reportedly demonstrated ignorance about nuclear weapons policy. MSNBC reported that Trump once asked advisers why the US didn’t use its nuclear arsenal more often.

Trump tweeted a video of himself and Vice President Mike Pence leaving the Pentagon following the July 20 meeting.

According to NBC, the July 20 meeting was the second in a series of national security-focused meetings that reportedly left Trump’s military advisers feeling frustrated by the president’s ignorance about foreign policy issues.

> That meeting followed one held a day earlier in the White House Situation Room focused on Afghanistan in which the president stunned some of his national security team. At that July 19 meeting, according to senior administration officials, Trump asked military leaders to fire the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and compared their advice to that of a New York restaurant consultant whose poor judgment cost a business valuable time and money.

> Two people familiar with the discussion said the Situation Room meeting, in which the president’s advisers anticipated he would sign off on a new Afghanistan strategy, was so unproductive that the advisers decided to continue the discussion at the Pentagon the next day in a smaller setting where the president could perhaps be more focused. “It wasn’t just the number of people. It was the idea of focus,” according to one person familiar with the discussion. The thinking was: “Maybe we need to slow down a little and explain the whole world” from a big-picture perspective, this person said.

The July 20 meeting was also attended by Vice President Mike Pence, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Joseph Dunford, Vice Chairman Gen. Paul Selva, Undersecretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Stephen Bannon, who served then as Trump’s chief strategist, Jared Kushner who is a senior adviser to the president and Reince Preibus who was then chief of staff. Sean Spicer who was then White House spokesman, and Keith Schiller who was Director of Oval Office Operations at the time, also accompanied Trump to the Pentagon that day.

Asked for a response to the president’s comments, a White House official speaking only on the condition of anonymity, said that the nuclear arsenal was not a primary topic of the briefing. Dana White, spokesperson for the Pentagon said “the Secretary of Defense has many closed sessions with the president and his cabinet members. Those conversations are privileged.”

However, White House officials say the president supports modernization of the US’s nuclear arsenal, and clarified that his concerns weren’t about having enough nukes, but about the fact that the US stopped investing in the program.

> Still, officials said they are working to address the president’s concerns within the Nuclear Posture Review, which is expected to be finalized by the end of 2017 or early next year.

> “He’s all in for modernization,” one official said. “His concerns are the U.S. stopped investing in this.”

The Pentagon is currently undergoing the long-planned posture review. Modernizing the arsenal is a step presidents continuously take that doesn’t put the US in violation of treaty obligations, Cirincione said.

> “You don’t get in trouble for modernizing. You do get in trouble if you do one of two things: if you increase the numbers. The strategic weapons are treaty limited. Two, if you build a new type of weapon that is prohibited by a treaty,” he said.

Officials present said that Trump’s comments on a significantly increased arsenal came in response to a briefing slide that outlined America’s nuclear stockpile over the past 70 years. The president referenced the highest number on the chart — about 32,000 in the late 1960s — and told his team he wanted the U.S. to have that many now, officials said.

- White House
- Donald Trump
- Iran
- North Korea
- MSNBC
- NBC
- Afghanistan
- national security
- Rex Tillerson

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## Comment viewing options

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BennyBoy Oct 11, 2017 8:18 AM

The US needs at least 10,000 more nukes than NK.

medium giraffe BennyBoy Oct 11, 2017 8:24 AM

Pussies.

hestroy medium giraffe Oct 11, 2017 8:29 AM

Trump is an imbecile.

TheLastTrump hestroy Oct 11, 2017 8:40 AM

Yes, let's get back to your raison de etre.

caconhma TheLastTrump Oct 11, 2017 9:34 AM

This orange-faced idiot is outright dangerous and must be removed from the office ASAP.

Jim in MN caconhma Oct 11, 2017 9:50 AM

Fucking leakers need to be hung up by their toes for a while. In front of the Pentagon.

Never One Roach Jim in MN Oct 11, 2017 10:05 AM

NBC = Nothing But Crap

Son of Loki Never One Roach Oct 11, 2017 10:11 AM

NPR = Nothing But Propaganda

Oh wait a second...

National Propaganda Radio

Ghost of PartysOver Son of Loki Oct 11, 2017 10:15 AM

I am starting to think that the same people who believe the MSM are some of the same people that are convinced the market will crash. For the last 5 years! Dumb, gullible and naive is no way to go through life.

tmosley Ghost of PartysOver Oct 11, 2017 10:24 AM

NBC=Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Propaganda.

Glad to see Trump bringing out the big guns here. That spectrum would be put to MUCH better use providing wireless internet service.

Son of Loki tmosley Oct 11, 2017 10:49 AM

Repent or Revoke!

End NBC.

They are seditious and toxic to our nation.

macholatte Son of Loki Oct 11, 2017 11:00 AM

The networks NEED to be tortured for lying and abusing the first amendment and being nothing more than communist propaganda machines. I propose the following:
1. First offense of fabricating news = $100,000 fine.
2. Second offense of fabricating news = $250,000 fine.
3. Third offense of fabricating news = $500,000 fine.
4. Fourth offense of fabricating news = $1,000,000 fine.
5. Fifth offense of fabricating news = $1,00,000 fine each for network, each of the individuals on the board of directors, each producer participating in the lie, each director participating in the lie, each reporter participating in the lie, each writer participating in the lie and loss of broadcast license.

It’s possible that MSNBC could go full retard and hit the magic #5 in just one night.

BOOYA!

shovelhead Ghost of PartysOver Oct 11, 2017 10:25 AM

The market will go up forever.

It has to. Mystery buyers are everywhere.

TheLastTrump shovelhead Oct 11, 2017 10:54 AM

Fuck the fucking Federal Reserve & all their enablers.

TheLastTrump Ghost of PartysOver Oct 11, 2017 10:53 AM

They're part of a network that seeks to undermine US credibility & will to fight.

They think up 'memes' then begin broadcasting them at all the conspiracy sites (like this one). Soon after that, it's been repeated so often that it's now true.

FIGHT BACK.

Lumberjack Son of Loki Oct 11, 2017 10:55 AM

"Pull it"

LoneStarHog Never One Roach Oct 11, 2017 10:31 AM

Soon to be: NBC = No Broadcast Credentials

TheLastTrump LoneStarHog Oct 11, 2017 10:51 AM

lulz

All the lying media are using video/photos of Trump and his administration that show them in unkempt or caught off guard poses. It's brainwashing. That's just visual aids. The words are even worse.

Anyone who parrots their crap is a mindless drone of VERY low intelligence.

Mustafa Kemal Never One Roach Oct 11, 2017 10:55 AM

"NBC = Nothing But Crap"

True, but revoking their license is what? Turkey is doing that now also.

WillyGroper Mustafa Kemal Oct 11, 2017 11:23 AM

does the threat not lie under the auspices of the FCC?

he'd win the hearts & minds of the populace if he revoked the FRB's charter.

Cloud9.5 Jim in MN Oct 11, 2017 11:22 AM

Bad precedent. Kill the leakers and only the official narative remains.

libertyanyday caconhma Oct 11, 2017 10:41 AM

I was hoping to read some substance? Albeit ince you have vouched for his removal, by alll means impeach him.

Gen. Ripper caconhma Oct 11, 2017 10:43 AM

Dipshits like you brought us the Mulatto Marxist

LightBeamCowboy caconhma Oct 11, 2017 10:43 AM

I'm still wondering why it's okay to call Trump an "orange-faced idiot" when calling Obama a "black-faced idiot" would have been considered grotesquely racist.

LyLo LightBeamCowboy Oct 11, 2017 11:06 AM

The whole "Drumpf" thing was in reference to his old family name, which was German. They are literally mocking him for his family's origins, and somehow it's fine.

Remember when it was racist to say Obama's full legal name? Weirdly, even mentioning Obama's family origins was racist, especially if you were Republican.

THAT is the one I find interesting (and by interesting, I mean incredibly revealing and nauseating).

Playtime's Over caconhma Oct 11, 2017 11:20 AM

Kabash the Tulmudvision. I say give him another term now to guarantee he can wipe the floor with the fakesters.

JB Say hestroy Oct 11, 2017 8:58 AM

An anonymous source just revealed that Trump is goimg to nuke China today, because he is a fucking moron. Since I saw this on MSNBC it cannot possibly be false. You should start running for your life immediately.

booboo JB Say Oct 11, 2017 9:13 AM

at least he asked and didn't task some twenty something former editor of a college commie rag to come up with a government health care plan that would destroy health care...well...thats the best I could come up with.

SMG booboo Oct 11, 2017 9:38 AM

Actually we've been unilaterally disarming because of the START II and SORT treaties.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/START_II

and that treaty only covers Russia. China has been building nukes like crazy.

Also many of our nukes are in fixed silos whereas China/Russia are on mobile launchers. If we absorb a first strike, there won't be much to retaliate with.

Trump's right on this one, maybe not 10x but we need a better deterrent so we never have a nuke war.

Jim in MN SMG Oct 11, 2017 9:52 AM

We are already entering a period of nearly unprecedented global peace. I have asked my staff to begin factoring in a serious updraft in global growth as a result. Very very few have publically taken notice of this so far.

Once Syria, Iraq and Yemen settle down, there will be just one hot war left on Earth. Afghanistan. Let that sink in for a minute.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2017-10-10/saudis-could-seek-...

Never One Roach Jim in MN Oct 11, 2017 10:04 AM

So far Trump is way behind the millions killed by Bush and Obama.

Trump hasn't even invaded one new country!

Where was NBC as harvey Weinstein's good friends, Soweeto bin Bama and Hillary massacred all those brown people in Syria, Yemen, Libya?

That's odd?

Jim in MN Never One Roach Oct 11, 2017 10:22 AM

My own dear Mother now regrets her support for Her Fury.

The Deep State Clinton-McCain neolibcon traitors are furiously fapping up new plots and storylines to undermine and oust the sitting POTUS.

Every day, every hour.

It is a bitter fight and we have to win it.

Or millions more will die by OUR hand, under OUR flag.

ENOUGH.

Jim in MN Jim in MN Oct 11, 2017 10:26 AM

The Truth shall set you free. Can you handle it?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts#/media/Fil...

Post-WW2 average is 250,000 dead per year.

Once the ISIS mop-up ends, we're talking 80-90% reduction in war fatalities, even counting the Mexican drug war!

Entire continents at peace.

And you wonder why the market goes on......of course there is also the psychotic central bank nonsense but.....peace is a factor that's been all but Top Fucking Secret. So far.

oncefired SMG Oct 11, 2017 10:00 AM

You mean they are rusting in the Silos. The government is incompetent they probably aren't even sure they will work if fired. Then there always stories of nukes being transferred and lost. As long as the welfare money flows nobody cares!

TheLastTrump oncefired Oct 11, 2017 10:46 AM

Lol. You're speaking to the Russian missile systems?

libertyanyday SMG Oct 11, 2017 10:44 AM

If we absorb a first strike, there won't be much to retaliate with.

We have a few missles on mobile launchers..........SSBN XXX

Playtime's Over booboo Oct 11, 2017 11:22 AM

No.......your Negro king already did that 8 years ago.

Ajax-1 hestroy Oct 11, 2017 9:00 AM

I think you are confused. Obama was the imbecile. I distinctly remember President Zero claiming that the USA is comprised of 56 states.

ejmoosa Ajax-1 Oct 11, 2017 10:01 AM

Close enough for government work...

Never One Roach ejmoosa Oct 11, 2017 10:07 AM

It's depressing to think that's the best 40 years of AA has to offer; namely, Hussein NoBama and his pet wookie, Mooshell.

ReturnOfDaMac hestroy Oct 11, 2017 9:49 AM

Tillerson was right, fucking moron.

Jim in MN ReturnOfDaMac Oct 11, 2017 9:53 AM

More tweets, less bombs = doubling economic growth and world peace.

Thanks, Independent US Voters!!!

Justin Case hestroy Oct 11, 2017 10:35 AM

mainstream media news is a unique brand of news not only controlled by the CIA, but it's a unique circle of only 6 corporations with the exact same interests. This tiny group of corporations eventually will be seen for what they are - a small set of companies with an agenda. Independent media on the other hand is just that, independent and unbiased without ties to political parties, government or preconceived agendas. Hopefully, in time people who are not familiar with this information will begin to see the difference. That alone will be a huge victory for humanity.

ReturnOfDaMac hestroy Oct 11, 2017 10:44 AM

No he's not. He's a "fucking moron", according to Rex, and a fascist too. Shut down the press 'cause you don't like their story? Shit, Barry didn't do it to faux.

Playtime's Over ReturnOfDaMac Oct 11, 2017 11:24 AM

Barry didn't need to, the msm licked the jizz from his skinny leg daily.

general ambivalent hestroy Oct 11, 2017 10:53 AM

Trump is fake news. No one remembers this?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-exclusive/trump-wants-to-ma...

Literally months ago he had said this. The Dotard twats so much he can't even remember a quarter of it.

tmosley medium giraffe Oct 11, 2017 8:30 AM

>MSNBC reported that Trump once asked advisers why the US didn’t use its nuclear arsenal more often.

This is NOT an ignorant question. The answer is that we have been ruled by chickenhawks who would rather sacrifice young American lives than decisively win wars.

Both Korea and Vietnam should have ended in nuclear firestorms, except that after Korea, there would have been no Vietnam. China would have been freed from the madness of Communism more than a half a century ago. Maybe Russia as well.

The US won the peace after WWII, but it didn't know what to do with it. All they knew was conventional war, so they went on to more conventional war, grinding up her own children like a fucking Moloch worshipper.

But then, maybe there was a reason for that.

medium giraffe tmosley Oct 11, 2017 8:33 AM

Is this what you honestly think? Wow. I mean I knew you were kind of unhinged but..... jesus.

Dennisen medium giraffe Oct 11, 2017 8:47 AM

Those who wanna believe NBC, CNN, NYT, CBS, ABC, ESPN, and WAPO are gonna. Proven sources of anti-Trump agendas are at least consistent.

TheLastTrump Dennisen Oct 11, 2017 8:48 AM

ZeroHope is a >>>> "Proven sources of anti-Trump agendas"

Look at these tools thinking they're thinking.....

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