Trump’s nuclear claims spark global outcry — as he even suggests he would bomb BRITAIN

DONALD TRUMP has sparked global outcry after revealing his nuclear weapons policy — with the US presidential hopeful even refusing to rule out bombing BRITAIN.

The controversial property tycoon caused a new storm this week with his claim he is not willing “to take it off the table” when quizzed over whether he would use America’s nuclear arsenal against Europe.

Trump, the frontrunner to win the Republican nomination for November’s presidential election, yesterday repeated his pledge when tackled on a radio phone-in.

He told ‘The O’Reilly Factor’: “I don't want to take cards off the table, I'd never do that."

Despite claiming “the last person to press that button would be me”, Trump added: “Europe is a big place. I'm not going to take cards off the table.”

After making his original comments, Trump had been warned “the whole world” had heard — including European leaders such as Prime Minister David Cameron.

Labour MP John Spellar, a defence minister under Tony Blair and a member of the defence select committee, branded Trump "ignorant and irresponsible" .

He said: The Warley MP said: "Clearly he has no understanding of defence and security and this is completely irresponsible.

"That is why it is so important that he doesn't win the presidential election of our greatest ally.

"It's stupid. It would be dangerous if he did get in.

"This is both ignorant and irresponsible and I hope the American people will ensure that he will never have that responsibility."

Trump has also sparked anger across Asia after outlining his nuclear weapons policy should he be elected to the White House.

Earlier this week, the billionaire businessman had suggested both Japan and South Korea should arm themselves with nuclear weapons in order to combat the threat of North Korea.

He said: “You have so many countries already — China, Pakistan, you have so many countries, Russia — you have so many countries right now that have them.

“Now, wouldn’t you rather, in a certain sense, have Japan have nuclear weapons when North Korea has nuclear weapons?”

But Japan’s foreign minister Fumio Kishida told Trump it was “impossible that will arm itself with nuclear weapons”.

Japan remains the only nation to have had nuclear weapons used against it — the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings at the end of the Second World War — and has a strict non-nuclear weapons policy and pacifist constitution.

A White House official yesterday said it would be “catastrophic” to follow Trump’s proposals.

Benjamin Rhodes, one of President Barack Obama’s closest aides, said: “Frankly, it would be catastrophic were the United States to shift its position and indicate that we somehow support the proliferation of nuclear weapon to additional countries.”

Speaking as world leaders met at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C., President Obama’s deputy national security adviser said Trump’s plans were “not particularly relevant to the very serious discussions we’re having here”.

He added: ““The entire premise of American foreign policy as it relates to nuclear weapons for the last 70 years has been focused on preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“That has been the position of bipartisan administrations, of everybody who has occupied the Oval Office.”

Trump has been fighting off criticism after being forced to U-turn on his original claim he would ‘punish’ women who had abortions if the procedure was illegal.

Yesterday, Trump held a surprise meeting with Republican Party bosses amid claims officials could work to derail his bid for the party’s nomination at their convention later this year.

After the meeting, Trump posted on Twitter: “Just had a very nice meeting.

“Looking forward to bringing the Party together — and it will happen!”

Last year, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was heavily criticised after declaring he would never use Britain’s nuclear weapons even if the country came under attack.