Hezbollah chief Nasrallah: 'Crazy fool' Trump has hands on nuclear button
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that he hoped the world would be spared US President Donald Trump's policies over the next few days, warning that "the nuclear button is at the hands of a crazy, racist and stupid person".
"The nuclear button is in the hands of a crazy fool called Trump," Nasrallah said in a televised address. "God protect the world from what he can do."
In a speech that also focused on Lebanese and regional affairs, Nasrallah said the storming of the US Capitol by Trump's supporters on Wednesday showed the US president was ready to kill his own citizens to maintain power.
Five people died in the riots, including a Capitol Police officer and a woman shot in the neck by police.
"It is a small example of what Trump has committed in his four years in several other countries," Nasrallah said.
Earlier on Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke with General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to seek assurances that Trump would not be able to launch a nuclear strike during his last days in office.
With rising Iran tensions leading a host of foreign policy challenges, Pelosi sought to "to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike".
"This morning, I spoke to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike," Pelosi said in a letter to House Democrats.
"The situation of this unhinged President could not be more dangerous, and we must do everything that we can to protect the American people from his unbalanced assault on our country and our democracy," she added.
A spokesman for Milley confirmed the conversation.
"Speaker Pelosi initiated a call with the chairman," the spokesman said. "He answered her questions regarding the process of nuclear command authority."
'Limping on both feet'
Nasrallah is the latest in line of leaders to mock the US following the riot and siege at the Capitol building.
On Thursday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the storming of the building was a sign that American democracy had failed.
Russia leaders also criticised Washington, with Konstantin Kosachyov, the chair of the Russian upper house's foreign affairs committee, saying American democracy was "limping on both feet".
Hezbollah, which has been battered from four years of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and its allies, showed optimism following Joe Biden's presidential election victory.
Hezbollah's general secretary said in November he was happy about "the humiliating downfall" of Trump, whom he accused of having no restraints, adding that "arrogance and aggressiveness" had heightened the possibility of war.
The increase in tensions between the US and Iran has coincided with the anniversary of the targeted assassination of Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian general.
On Wednesday, Iran filed a "red notice" with Interpol that requests the arrest of Trump and 47 other US officials identified as playing a role in the general's assassination.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is very seriously following up on pursuing and punishing those who ordered and executed this crime," said Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili, Al Jazeera reported.
In June, Interpol rejected Iran's request for assistance when Tehran issued an international warrant for the arrest of Trump and other officials at the Pentagon and US central command on "murder and terrorism charges".
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