President Dwight D. Eisenhower, though at first a proponent of using nuclear weapons, eventually deemed them too destructive to consider. This idea became known as mutually assured destruction, in which countries wield nuclear weapons primarily to deter other nuclear powers. But nuclear experts say it is shocking not just for the statements themselves, but for the uncomfortable truths they expose, perhaps unwittingly, about nuclear weapons. Still, the controversy has highlighted a paradox that presidents have grappled with throughout the nuclear age: Nuclear weapons are deployed in great numbers, and at tremendous risk, for the purpose of never being used. Should Mr. Trump openly question whether nuclear weapons could be usable, he would not be the first.

Source: New York Times August 04, 2016 00:56 UTC