In a bizarre New Year’s Eve tweet, U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the country’s nuclear capabilities, referenced the Times Square ball drop and said it is ready to drop something “much, much bigger” if ever needed.
A video attached to the tweet showed stealth bombers with pounding music in the background flying toward an apparent target, dropping what look like two nuclear bombs on a target that explodes in a giant fireball..
The tweet, which received almost instant criticism on social media, was quickly deleted, and an apology soon followed.
“Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste and does not reflect our values,” the agency said. “We are dedicated to the security of America and allies.”
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
A spokeswoman for StratCom told The New York Times that the post "was part of our Year in Review series meant to feature our command priorities: strategic deterrence, decisive response and combat-ready force."
"It was a repost from earlier in the year, dropping a pair of conventional Massive Ordnance Penetrators at a test range in the United States," the statement said, according to the Times.
It’s unclear why the agency sent out a social media post that seemed to threaten an attack of some kind on one of the most festive nights of the year when most of the world is celebrating the coming new year.
At first, I did not believe this could be real. But it is. It is an industry ad doubling as a sick, bragging joke by our Strategic Command. Disgraceful. https://t.co/bmxtT3fWw7
— Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) December 31, 2018
I'm certainly glad we have you, value your service, & I saw the stealth fly over Mt. Rushmore once, but threatening to drop bombs as peaceful as your New Year's felicitation is inappropriate & not amusing. The goal is NOT to drop bombs!
— Barbara Steakley (@tumpover) December 31, 2018
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
Oh, I managed to grab the whole Stratcom video pic.twitter.com/q3xVsuwtQ7
— Dylan Reeve (@DylanReeve) December 31, 2018
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