Trump Sparks Firestorm With Nuclear Arms Tweet
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - President-elect Donald Trump is taking a break from transition meetings to go golfing with Tiger Woods.
Trump and Woods met Friday morning at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where Trump typically spends the holidays. The two have met on several occasions when Woods competed at various Trump-owned golf courses. It's unclear whether this is the first time they're playing a round of golf together.
On Thursday, the U-N Security Council temporarily postponed a vote condemning Israeli settlements amid pressure from Israel and Trump.
Hours before the U-N was set to vote, Trump called for the draft resolution to be vetoed, tweeting that it was extremely unfair to all Israelis.
The measure, put forth by Egypt, called on Israel to immediately halt settlement activity in Palestinian territory. In a push to stop the U-N, Israeli officials side-stepped President Barack Obama who appeared ready to allow the resolution and reached out to Trump.
The resolution being considered at the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel should be vetoed....cont: https://t.co/s8rXKKZNF1
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016
Trump reportedly spoke to Egypt's president. Then Egypt delayed the vote.
"I honestly don't know if or when a vote will be rescheduled. What we continue to try to do is work towards seeing a viable two-state solution realized," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.
The unprecedented development came on the same day that Trump set off a firestorm for weighing in on nuclear arms via social media.
After Russian president Vladimir Putin proposed a Russian nuclear expansion, Mr. Trump tweeted:
The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016
"He's putting the world on notice that he will do what he thinks he needs to do to keep us safe and secure," said Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. "He's not trying to change a policy through Twitter."
On Thursday, Conway was named as his White House counselor. Former RNC spokesman Sean Spicer will be his press secretary.
Spicer said Trump's tweet was responding to Russia, China and other countries talking about expanding their own nuclear capabilities.
"The president isn't saying we're going to do this. He said, 'unless they come to their senses.' It's a warning to them that this president isn't going to sit idly by," said Spicer.
Also Friday, MSNBC reported that Trump said: "Let it be an arms race, because we will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all."
The network's "Morning Joe" host Mika Brzezinski said Trump made the statement in a phone call with her.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
