Trump brands Hillary 'trigger-happy and very unstable' as he calls for more ships, fighters, and service members in Philadelphia speech

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump blasted Hillary Clinton as 'trigger happy' and 'reckless' in a tough speech on national security in Philadelphia where he also called for a substantial defense buildup.

'She's trigger-happy and very unstable. Whether we like it or not, that's what's going on. She's also reckless,' Trump told a crowd at the Union League of Philadelphia.

The real estate mogul went after the former secretary of state in what Clinton believes to be her own wheelhouse, saying, 'Unlike my opponent, my foreign policy will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction.'

'Sometimes it seemed like there wasn't a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didn't want to invade, intervene in, or topple,' Trump said, referencing Clinton's vote for the Iraq War.

Trump ran through a litany of global problems from Libya to Syria. 'This is Hillary Clinton's legacy, failure and death,' he said, reading prepared remarks from a teleprompter.

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Donald Trump clobbered Hillary Clinton as 'trigger-happy and unstable' on Wednesday as he outlined a 'peace through strength' military buildup platform

Trump called for a defense boost Wednesday in Philadelphia, a day after speaking to a military crowd in Virginia Beach

Trump spoke at the ornate Union League in Philadelphia and was introduced by retired Army General Michael Flynn

'Including veteran health care costs – and this was just announced and read over the last number of weeks – the price of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will total approximately $6 trillion,' Trump said. 

'We could have rebuilt our country over and over again. Yet after all this money was spent and lives lost, Clinton's policies as secretary of state have left the Middle East in more disarray than ever before. Not even close.'

'Had we done nothing, we would have been in a far better position,' Trump continued. Meanwhile, China has grown more aggressive and North Korea more dangerous and belligerent than ever.'

Trump returned to relations with Russia, a country he wants to partner with in the campaign against ISIS.

'Russia has defied this administration at every single turn. Putin has no respect for President Obama and has absolutely no respect for Hillary Clinton,' the candidate said.

Trump clobbered Hillary Clinton as he made the case that he would make a better military commander-in-chief

After blasting Clinton, Trump called for a buildup of the nation's military forces

Then he connected Clinton's 'reckless' behavior in the world to her private email server, calling her 'so reckless, in fact, that she put her emails on an illegal server that our enemies could easily hack, and probably have.'

Trump also called for a substantial boost in Defense spending, with more ships, fighter aircraft, and men and women serving in the Army. 

'They’re old – they’re tired,' he said of aging vessels.

Trump laid out his remarks in a speech at the Union Club of Philadelphia.

According to a fact sheet released by his campaign, Trump wants a 350 ship Navy, and increase of 77 vessels over the current level.

Trump called for a 350-ship Navy, an increase of 77 vessels over today's fleet

Trump wants an active duty Army of 540,00

Trump said the average aircraft in service by the military was 27 years old, and said a second generation of pilots were flying B-52 bombers flown by their fathers

He wants an Active Duty Army of 540,000, an increase in 61,000, and a Marine Corps of 36 battalions. There currently are 32 Marine infantry battalions.

The proposals are meant to 'upgrade and update America's military,' according to the campaign.

Trump wants Congress to 'fully eliminate' the 2011 budget sequester, which includes automatic cuts.  All the changes would require getting legislation through the Congress. 

Trump on Tuesday spoke woefully about the size of the Navy, noting it was the fewest ships since World War I. 

The call for the build up recalls Ronald Reagan's call for a 600-ship Navy. Trump's 350 ship level has been promoted for years by GOP defense hawks, though budget hawks whose primary focus is trimming spending have balked at the idea.

Former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig called the push for a buildup 'sloganeering and lacking in 'strategic thought,' Politico reported in 2015.

Trump also wants a 'state of the art' missile defense system. A campaign aide said Tuesday it would be a sea-based system. Some defense hawks want to put in place a more robust system to better counter the potential missile threat from North Korea and other adversaries.

SEA POWER: Trump wants a 350-ship Navy

BOOTS ON THE GROUND: Trump called for an active duty Army of 540,000

NOT SO FEW BUT PROUD: Trump also called for 36 Marine batallions

'One of Mr. Trump’s first commands after taking office will be asking the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and all relevant federal departments, to conduct a thorough review of United States cyber defenses and identify all vulnerabilities – in our power grid, our communications systems, and all vital infrastructure,' according to the fact sheet.

Trump also is asking generals to provide him with a plan to defeat ISIS within 30 days after he takes office. 

He wasn't as specific about how he'd pay for the buildup. 

He called for 'common-sense reforms that eliminate government waste and budget gimmicks, and that protect – absolutely protect – hard-earned benefits for Americans.'

Trump said he would 'reduce' the size of the federal bureaucracy through 'responsible workforce attrition.'

He called for paring back 'improper government payments' estimated to cost $135 billion per year, while clawing back unpaid taxes estimated at $385 billion. Trump didn't say whether he favored increased IRS funding or audits to bring in the unpaid taxes. 

'We can also stop funding programs that are not authorized in law,' Trump said, saying Congress spent $320 billion funding 256 expired laws. 

'The military will not be exempt either. The military bureaucracy will have to be trimmed down,' Trump said. 'We have to create that strength, and sometimes we have to reduce bureaucracy. it just gets in our way.

Trump was to speak at the august Union Club of Philadelphia

Promoting the Marine Corps and Air Force increase, Trump's camp cited the conservative Heritage Foundation. It said the Army increase is 'what the chief of staff has said he needs.'     

In a shot at Hillary Clinton, Trump's camp said he will 'enforce all classification rules, and enforce all laws relating to the handling of classified information.' Trump has previously called for an investigation of Clinton by a special prosecutor to begin 'immediately.

Trump is Trump set to deliver another speech Wednesday to New York's Conservative Party, again with a national security theme. He also participates in a forum on security on NBC tonight.

The crowd at the Union Club was more buttoned down than those who gather for Trump's big rallies. 

Reporters following the candidate were advised to wear business attire. The building's wood-paneled hall has high ceilings and oil portraits of leading Philadelphians from over the years.