Trump Has Reached Peak Incoherence

Cooper: "So you have no problem with Japan and South Korea having ... nuclear weapons."

Trump: "At some point we have to say, you know what, we're better off if Japan protects itself against this maniac in North Korea, we're better off, frankly, if South Korea is going to start to protect itself ... "

Cooper: "So if you said, Japan, yes, it's fine, you get nuclear weapons, South Korea, you as well, and Saudi Arabia says we want them, too?"

Trump: "Can I be honest with you? It's going to happen, anyway. ... It's only a question of time."

This is a radical position, even contained to South Korea and Japan. "That would be an incredible catastrophe," said Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association. "We have a big enough problem with stability in that region without introducing two new nuclear weapons states."

The cornerstone of U.S. nuclear policy for decades has been to prevent additional countries from acquiring nuclear capability. The more countries with nuclear weapons, the greater the risk of use, and of technology and material falling into the wrong hands. China would likely respond by increasing its nuclear arsenal. Other countries would lobby to go nuclear. U.S. influence in the region -- on trade rules that Trump cares about, for example -- would wane.

"No contender for the presidency of the United States in either party has ever said that since nuclear weapons were invented," Michael Green of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who served on the National Security Council under George W. Bush and advised the Jeb Bush campaign, said of Trump's view. "It would cost us enormously ... in terms of the steps we'd have to take to defend ourselves against a much more weaponized world."

There are other examples of Trumpian incoherence, but perhaps none so striking, and so dangerous if taken seriously.

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Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com.