
The July meeting left top military advisers 'rattled.' Also, Trump had trouble focusing during the national security conference.

In a terrifying scene straight out of “Dr. Strangelove,” we now seem to know why Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly called Donald Trump a “moron” last summer. It was because Trump stunned his top generals when he demanded the United States not only reverse its decades-long policy of reducing its nuclear arsenal, but that the U.S. increase its nuclear stockpile – tenfold.

The left field, budget-busting demand “came in response to a briefing slide he was shown that charted the steady reduction of U.S. nuclear weapons since the late 1960s, NBC reports. “Trump indicated he wanted a bigger stockpile, not the bottom position on that downward-sloping curve.”

The July meeting between Trump and his top military advisers left participants “rattled,” NBC reported. They have not acted on his request.


According to the report, Trump also had trouble focusing during a national security meeting that took place at the White House’s Situation Room in July. The sit-down “was so unproductive that the advisers decided to continue the discussion at the Pentagon the next day in a smaller setting where the president could perhaps be more focused.”

Soon after the nukes meeting, Tillerson reportedly referred to Trump as a “moron” or “fucking moron” according to one account, and considered resigning from his post. When that story leaked, Tillerson was forced to make an awkward public statement last week where he refused to deny making the comment, and essentially pledged his public loyalty to Trump.

He insisted Trump was “smart” and said he was “making America great again.”

Trump has dismissed the “moron” story as fake news, but clearly seemed to be perturbed by it. He recently suggested that he and Tillerson take dueling IQ tests to see which one is smarter.

Last Thursday, Trump rattled lots of Americans when he posed with his top military leaders at the White House and issued what seemed to be a vague warning of military action.

That night, Trump summoned reporters into the State Dining Room where he was surrounded by his top military commanders. “You guys know what this represents?” said Trump, gesturing to his guests. “Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”