During the presidential debate last year, Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested Donald Trump's eagerness to retaliate to critics on social media was a foreboding indication of what he might do if put in charge of weapons of mass destruction.

'It becomes particularly threatening if terrorists ever get their hands on any nuclear material so a man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes as far as I think anyone with any sense about this should be concerned,' she said.

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And it appears her words have struck a chord with several politicians who have just submitted a bill requiring President Trump to seek congressional approval to launch a nuclear strike.

According to the Independent, Congressman Ted Lieu and Senator Edward Markey, have proposed a new legislation titled the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017, in which they reference the 45th President's talk of controlling the US' nuclear arsenal on Twitter.

In a statement accompanying the legislation, it notes Trump's 'ignorance' of nuclear defence theory, which 'increases the risk' of an accidental nuclear war.

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With his calls for a renewed 'arms race' during MSNBC's Morning Joe programme in December, it's hardly surprising politicians are taking extra precautions in ensuring the safety of US citizens and the world.

After introducing the new bill, Senator Markey claimed 'neither President Trump, nor any other president, should be allowed to use nuclear weapons except in response to a nuclear attack'.

'Nuclear war poses the gravest risk to human survival. Yet, President Trump has suggested that he would consider launching nuclear attacks against terrorists. Unfortunately, by maintaining the option of using nuclear weapons first in a conflict, US policy provides him with that power,' he added.

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Congressman Lieu added: 'It is a frightening reality that the US now has a Commander-in-Chief who has demonstrated ignorance of the nuclear triad, stated his desire to be 'unpredictable' with nuclear weapons, and as President-elect was making sweeping statements about US nuclear policy over Twitter.'

The news comes after Trump revealed the US will take unilateral action to eliminate the North Korean nuclear threat if China does not help put pressure on its government.

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In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said: 'China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won't.

'If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,' he added.

However, despite the Democrats' concerns regarding Trump's control over the US' nuclear weapons, it is unlikely the bill will pass through the US Congress and Senate as they're both controlled by the President's Republican party.

Another one bites the dust.

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Katie O'Malley
Site Director

Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.