The United States Strategic Command (Stratcom) ‒ a nuclear-capable branch of the US military ‒ tweeted an ominous video message on the eve of 2019 that seemed to threaten to bomb Times Square, sending Twitter into one final frenzy before the brain boggler that was 2018 finally culminates.
The tweet was deleted hours later but can still be viewed here. Stratcom offered an apology after taking it down, tweeting “Our previous NYE tweet was in poor taste & does not reflect our values. We apologize. We are dedicated to the security of America & allies.”
In the tweet, Stratcom noted the traditional way of seeing out the year with the dropping of a massive ball in Times Square, New York. The “tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball…if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger,” Stratcom said, encouraging Twitter users to watch the video attached to the tweet “to the end!”
“#PeaceIsOurProfession,” the tweet proclaims.
The video features a Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber deploying large, conventional bombs on various targets while percussion-heavy music plays in the background. The words “STEALTH,” “READY” and “LETHAL” flash on the screen.
Some Twitter users pointed out that the tweet was in potential violation of Twitter's policies against threatening violence. One user tweeted to the company's CEO Jack Dorsey that “this account is threatening violence.”…
