Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump appeared to confirm Wednesday that US nuclear weapons are being housed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, making him the first US official to publicly acknowledge what has been considered an open secret for years.

Most experts believe that the US maintains 50 Cold War-era B-61 "gravity" bombs in Turkey. The weapons are part of NATO's deterrence strategy and decisions about them have to be made by a unanimous vote of all 28 member states.

While sitting alongside the Italian President in the Oval Office, Trump was asked if he is concerned about the safety of "as many as 50 nuclear weapons at Incirlik Air Base" given the ongoing Turkish incursion into Syria -- a situation that has prompted bipartisan condemnation from members of Congress and suggestions that the weapons should be moved to another location.

"We're confident, and we have a great -- a great air base there, a very powerful air base. That air base alone can take anyplace. It's a large, powerful air base," Trump responded, apparently acknowledging that US nuclear weapons are being stored in Turkey.

"And, you know, Turkey -- just so people remember -- Turkey is a NATO member. We're supposed to get along with our NATO members, and Turkey is a NATO member. Do people want us to start shooting at a NATO member? That would be a first. And that's all involved having to do with NATO," he added.

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