The U.S. Strategic Command is apologizing for a New Year’s Eve tweet that suggested it was ready to drop a bomb.

The tweet, since deleted, noted the annual ball drop to ring in the New Year, then said “if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger.”

US Strategic Command tweeted this and deleted it. 2019 is going to be mental. pic.twitter.com/TKFUVjklts — Henry Williams (@digitalhen) January 1, 2019

The tweet featured a video of a B-2 bomber dropping bombs as the words “stealth,” “ready” and “lethal” flashed on the screen.

The tweet was deleted and the agency ― which has “Peace is our Profession” in its Twitter bio ― apologized:

Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste & does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America & allies. — US Strategic Command (@US_Stratcom) December 31, 2018

The agency, which is part of the Defense Department, told NBC News the post was part of a year-in-review series “meant to feature our command priorities: strategic deterrence, decisive response and combat-ready force.”

The bombs were two conventional Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP) at a test range in the United States.

Defense Industry Daily reported in 2015 that the 30,000-pound GPS-guided bomb is designed to hit bunkers, tunnels and other underground targets.

The attempt at dark humor bombed on Twitter:

What kind of maniacs are running this country? pic.twitter.com/0glVs2ee25 — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) December 31, 2018

Poor taste?! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE. — Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) January 1, 2019

Please don't destroy the world, it's where I keep all my stuff. — Ivan (@iheckman) January 1, 2019

Your tweet goes beyond needing an apology. What kind of people are you letting represent you? Is this the new dystopian Trump view? You alarmed many Americans with your tweet about bombing. Including a video of a bombing is beyond just an apology, this is reprehensible. pic.twitter.com/E52KBJ3Clh — B. Janine Morison (@bjaninemorison) January 1, 2019

A very late entry for worst tweet of 2018 from @US_Stratcom (it has been deleted) pic.twitter.com/fP0D2c7EEW — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 31, 2018

Guys, what time did we start drinking? — LITERALLYMIAMI (@cityofslaves) January 1, 2019

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you @US_Stratcom, the stoic guardians of several thousand nuclear missiles who definitely don’t think raining death and destruction from above is some kind of joke. pic.twitter.com/4OWcGMtfCj — Derek Johnson (@derekjGZ) December 31, 2018

Others defended the agency:

I think a little dark humor is okay. Maybe lay off the guys at ⁦@US_Stratcom⁩ defending us with the scariest job on earth. pic.twitter.com/amQqE5hXf3 — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) December 31, 2018

Apropos the silly pearl clutching over @US_Stratcom "hey, we bomb things guys" tweet, a cheerful reminder that our nuclear forces have a terrific sense of humor. As they should!



Exhibit A, my class patch out of ICBM training (for those that remember the old iPod ads) pic.twitter.com/xjNSgG0Q2D — John Noonan (@noonanjo) December 31, 2018