{"id":29090,"date":"2019-10-16T18:15:27","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T18:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/10\/16\/trump-expresses-confidence-when-asked-if-nuclear-weapons-at-incirlik-are-safe\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:00:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:00:28","slug":"trump-expresses-confidence-when-asked-if-nuclear-weapons-at-incirlik-are-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/nuclear-arsenal\/2019\/10\/16\/trump-expresses-confidence-when-asked-if-nuclear-weapons-at-incirlik-are-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump expresses confidence when asked if nuclear weapons at Incirlik are safe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In response to a reporter\u2019s question, President Trump on Wednesday said he was \u201cconfident\u201d about the safety of U.S. nuclear weapons at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella<\/a> in the Oval Office, a reporter asked Trump how confident he is \u2014 amid increasing tensions with Turkey<\/a> over its invasion of Syria, targeting of Kurdish forces<\/a> and possible U.S. economic sanctions \u2014 about the safety of nuclear weapons reportedly housed at Incirlik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the things that has been exposed by this Turkey situation is that as many as 50 nuclear weapons are at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. How confident are you of those weapons\u2019 safety?\u201d the reporter asked, according to a transcript of the exchange provided by the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re confident, and we have a great air base there, a very powerful air base,\u201d Trump said in response. \u201cThat air base alone can take any place. It\u2019s a large, powerful air base.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump went on to reiterate that Turkey is a member of NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\t