| On Thursday, hours after Vladimir Putin said Russia needed to strengthen the potential of its nuclear forces, the next president of the United States chimed in: us, too. |
| "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," Trump said (read: tweeted, of course). |
| Trump's statement goes against decades of U.S. nuclear non-proliferation policy. It came a day after the president-elect, known for skipping intelligence briefings, agreed to receive one from a group including the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration. |
| During his campaign, Trump's nuke knowledge didn't inspire confidence: He couldn't define the "nuclear triad" during one debate, the term for America's decades-long nuclear strategy. He also floated the idea that allies relying on the U.S. nuclear deterrent, like Japan and Saudi Arabia, could get their own nukes. |
| Since 1991, the U.S. has helped Russia and others deactivate more than 7,600 nuclear warheads, Pentagon stats show. But now we might be off to the races. |
| It's For the Record, the politics newsletter from USA TODAY that learned to stop worrying and love the bomb. |
| In less controversial news, here's Trump wading into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict |
| Earlier on Thursday, Trump said (on Twitter, natch) that a United Nations resolution aiming to halt Israeli settlements on disputed lands should be vetoed. |
| "This puts Israel in a very poor negotiating position and is extremely unfair to all Israelis," he said in a post linked in his tweet. Peace between the two parties would only come through "direct negotiation," Trump said. |
| Israeli settlements have proved a decidedly unsettled issue between the current U.S. president and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister. That could change under the next president, whom Netanyahu called "a true friend." |
| The U.N. resolution was pulled from the schedule Thursday by Egypt, one of its backers. |
| Trump suggests he may never completely drain the swamp |
| More still from Trump Twitter™: The president-elect shot back at supporters' claims that, after nominating a Cabinet of bajillionaires and Wall Street tycoons, he might not be so serious about "draining the swamp." |
| "Someone incorrectly stated that the phrase 'DRAIN THE SWAMP' was no longer being used by me," Trump tweeted. "Actually, we will always be trying to DTS." |
| Of course, if Trump will indeed "always" be "trying" to drain the swamp, that suggests said swamp will never be entirely drained. (Then again, we're told Trump should never be taken literally.) |
| Trump's former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, told Fox News on Wednesday that swamp draining was "probably somewhere down at the bottom" of Trump's priorities. That day, Trump backer Newt Gingrich said that the president elect "doesn't want to use it anymore." |
| Gingrich later issued a groveling video apology. "I goofed," he said. |
| Did he, though? Trump wants to load his Cabinet with Wall Street and D.C. veterans who are basically Swamp Things. His Treasury secretary pick, Steven Mnuchin, is a former exec for Goldman Sachs, the firm that Trump said "robbed our working class" in one of his closing campaign ads. Funny how that works, huh? |
| Meet the new comms, same as the old comms |
| Trump on Thursday appointed Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager and an increasingly prominent character on Saturday Night Live, as White House counselor. |
| Following her into the West Wing are a flock of communications pros from in and around Trump World, including Republican party spokesman Sean Spicer (White House press secretary) as well as campaign aides Hope Hicks (White House strategic communications director), Jason Miller (communications director) and Dan Scavino (social media director). |
| "Sean, Hope, Jason and Dan have been key members of my team during the campaign and transition," Trump said. "I am excited they will be leading the team that will communicate my agenda that will Make America Great Again (sic)." |
| Around the transition |
| • | JetEw: Ivanka Trump berated on plane by a very nasty passenger (USA TODAY) | | • | Her husband might sell the tabloid he owns (USA TODAY) | | • | Trump faces little of the economic pressure Obama did when he took office, thanks to Obama (USA TODAY) | | • | The economy grew healthy 3.5% in the third quarter, btw (USA TODAY) | | • | Half of Americans have missed out on Trump's stock market rally (USA TODAY) | | • | And surprise! Republicans just introduced a bill that would completely change Social Security (USA TODAY) | |
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| For the Record takes a holiday hiatus! |
| We're hitting pause during the holidays, returning bright and early Jan. 3. Don't worry: We'll slide into your inbox with any big league Trump news. Until then, follow the best of the USA TODAY NETWORK's politics coverage. |
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