“Recent reports that the president called for an increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal are absolutely false. This kind of erroneous reporting is irresponsible,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said. | Chris Kleponis/Getty Images Mattis calls NBC News report on nuclear arsenal 'absolutely false'

Defense Secretary James Mattis disputed an NBC News report Wednesday that President Donald Trump sought a tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear stockpile during a summer meeting.

“Recent reports that the president called for an increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal are absolutely false. This kind of erroneous reporting is irresponsible,” Mattis said in his statement. Trump, during a brief interaction with reporters ahead of a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, mentioned that Mattis would be releasing a statement contesting the NBC News report.


NBC News reported Wednesday morning that Trump had sought a nearly tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear stockpile during a meeting in July. The president vehemently denied the report, writing on Twitter on Wednesday morning that it was “Pure fiction” and “made up to demean.” He also suggested that NBC’s broadcast license should be in jeopardy by virtue of its news division’s “fake news.”

During his brief exchange with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Trump again labeled the NBC News report “fake news” and added that “they have their sources that don't exist, in my opinion, they don't exist. They make up the sources. There are no sources."

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It is the second time in as many weeks that a Cabinet secretary has disputed NBC News’ reporting about the July meeting. The network reported last week that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson came close to resigning over the summer and had called Trump a “moron” after the meeting ended. Tillerson called an impromptu news conference to say he had never considered resigning, and a State Department spokeswoman later said the secretary had never called the president a “moron.”