An actual nuclear blast would feel like a bit of an understatement at this point now that we’ve felt the shockwaves of President Trump’s tweet Tuesday night reverberate through social media and the press. In case you missed it, here it is again, currently hovering just above 420,000 likes:
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018
Sure, CNN thought it was breaking news and wondered if threatening a nuclear strike violated Twitter’s terms of service. Check out this clip of Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld busting a gut over it:
Clip: @greggutfeld zings @brianstelter on today's @TheFive w/ @DanaPerino pic.twitter.com/Hh3AWDPYT7
— johnny dollar (@johnnydollar01) January 3, 2018
Perhaps in a bid to calm the country’s nerves a bit, CNN’s Chris Cillizza did a bit of fact-checking Wednesday, revealing that President Trump doesn’t actually have a big button on his desk that launches nuclear missiles at North Korea.
No, Trump doesn't have a big nuclear button on his desk | Analysis by @CillizzaCNN https://t.co/SNZ7kiEHid pic.twitter.com/ucnv6Krusz
— CNN (@CNN) January 3, 2018
Practically speaking, it makes lots and lots of sense that there is no nuclear button on the president’s desk. As a clumsy person myself, I can imagine a president accidentally bumping into it — or tripping and landing a hand on it. Not good.
Now, that said: The power to launch a nuclear strike does rest entirely in the hands of Trump. Or, more accurately, in the hands of a small rotating group of military personnel who carry a briefcase that contains the nuclear codes.
Yeah, we know … remember the time Vice President Joe Biden in a speech pointed out the military aide who travels with him carrying the nuclear launch codes? CNN didn’t seem flustered about that, though.
Is everyone a little calmer now, or was that piece written just to soothe Brian Stetler and Anderson Cooper?
https://twitter.com/amber_athey/status/948578875482759168
https://twitter.com/1WhiskeyGrace/status/948589389763944448
Wow, if true. https://t.co/CDxMOtIGjN
— JW Paine (@PirateBallerina) January 3, 2018
It’s almost like he wasn’t talking about an actual button. https://t.co/8vBh7yrpYe
— HR Paperstacks (@kidslovetrains) January 3, 2018
Top tier reporting there, CNN. I never would have guessed Trump was being metaphorical.
Here I was thinking he had a button the size of a dinner plate just sitting on his desk at all times. https://t.co/PeAgVldpxo
— DatNoFact ↗ (@datnofact) January 3, 2018
Ohhh ok sorry I thought he meant literally a button on his desk https://t.co/DWMaOVchoW
— Peter (@petermck_) January 3, 2018
It's a figure of speech dummies ? https://t.co/IpshYRqm3m
— Romrik Flores (@TheRomrikJoshua) January 3, 2018
When a news organization has no one on staff that recognizes metaphors https://t.co/zABo9M3Ovn
— Alan Cristoffer (@TedyhereMC) January 3, 2018
Thank you @CillizzaCNN and @CNN, for helping your readers understand what a figure of speech is.
Everyone else already knew this. https://t.co/R3Zg0eX7qt— 『Anime Dad』 (@TheAnimeDad) January 3, 2018
It is in a briefcase that is carried where ever @POTUS goes. And it has been that way for decades. https://t.co/xfsvXKnd9j
— Feelings Aren't Facts (@aubergine20) January 3, 2018
Breaking news: CNN has discovered the nuclear football… Public knowledge for many years https://t.co/mhsk4TPeAc
— Harnisch (@StoicPolitics) January 3, 2018
Deep analysis that we all need in this moment. Duh, the big button is in the briefcase thing.
Oh what? It's not a button, you say? Huh, who knew? https://t.co/z4YwySaiF5
— Ms. Meggy Mish (@meggymish) January 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/AusRichie/status/948589968024309761
How ? are ? you ? actually ? taken ? seriously ? https://t.co/qOiDkPth3r
— Tommy ?️? (@ThomasVirgl) January 3, 2018
Honestly, I really thought all the chatter about CNN's juvenile behavior had to be somewhat exaggerated, but I was wrong… https://t.co/h25FgI8sDf
— Pogo Possum (@pogo_xx) January 3, 2018
CNN has to publish this because most hipster-douche millennials, like them, probably think there is just a button. https://t.co/7U6CgroSLZ
— Tom (@BoreGuru) January 3, 2018
He has a point.
https://twitter.com/LexFlair/status/948675196898238464
CNN paid Chris to write this. Let that sink in. https://t.co/5saP1LpIOx
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) January 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/andyrutledge/status/948589569401937922
Example 50,546 why CNN deserves not to be taken seriously. Analysing a figure of speech? Hard hitting stuff, brain giant. @CillizzaCNN https://t.co/hyPmHCxskN
— Rev. Ducati? (@Reverend_Ducati) January 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/HeathBilbrey/status/948578497332523008
Related:
MSNBC analyst warns Trump’s NK tweet foreshadows planetary annihilation
Getting Trump banned from Twitter over his nuke button tweet is the new impeachment
Join the conversation as a VIP Member