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ByKenRitter The Associated Press LASVEGAS Theeldestson of jailed Nevada cattleman Cliven Bundy asked again Friday for a chance to ar- gue that he's no threat to others and wouldn't skip town if he's released from custody ahead of his trial on charges stemming from an armed standoff with federal agents at his fam- ily's ranch. "They are holding me, and have been holding me, for almost a year based on lies," Ryan Bundy told U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr. "The truth will set me free," the defendant said — in an apparent echo of a biblical passage. Foley said he'll make a written decision soon but didn't say when. Ryan Bundy, 44, is serv- ing as his own attorney in Nevada, just as he did dur- ing a six-week federal trial in Portland, Oregon, where a jury acquitted him, his brother, Ammon Bundy, andfiveotherpeopleofcon- spiracyandweaponcharges in a 41-day occupation of a federal wildlife refuge. In Oregon, Bundy some- times clashed with the judge about what she termed "frivolous matters" and issues that had been previously decided. He said during closing arguments that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere — echoing the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Ryan and Ammon Bundy both refused earlier this month to enter a fed- eral courtroom in Las Ve- gas for a lengthy pretrial and date-setting hearing before a different magis- trate judge. The brothers and their father are among 17 people jailed while awaiting trial on conspiracy, obstruction, weapon, threat and other charges. Two other defen- dants have pleaded guilty and remain in federal cus- tody awaiting sentencing. Trial is slated to begin Feb. 6 in Las Vegas for the first six defendants, who prosecutors characterize as "followers and gunmen" in the tense 2014 showdown that blocked a federal Bu- reau of Land Management round-up of Bundy cattle from public land. Trial for the accused conspiracy leaders and or- ganizers — Cliven, Ammon and Ryan Bundy, and co- defendants Peter Santilli and Ryan Payne — is set to start 30 days after the first trial ends. Ryan Bundy on Friday labeled the incident out- side Bunkerville as "the so- called standoff" and called it "completely non-violent." He said he believes that if he gets a chance to ques- tion prosecutors, charac- ter witnesses and his fam- ily members under oath, he can convince the judge that he's not a threat and would attend future court appear- ances. NEVADA EldestBundysonrequestshearing to challenge his detention status By Vivian Salama The Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA After months of promis- ing to engage more with Russia, President-elect Donald Trump vowed to enhance America's nuclear capabilities, admonishing Russian President Vladi- mir Putin on Friday that he hopes both global pow- ers can restore collabora- tion so that "we do not have to travel an alternate path." Trump passed along a "very nice letter" that his transition team said was sent to him by Putin urging Trump to act "in a construc- tive and pragmatic manner" to "restore the framework of bilateral cooperation." The letter, dated Dec. 15, alsonotesthatseriousglobal and regional challenges "show that the relations be- tweenRussiaandtheU.S.re- main an important factor in ensuring stability and secu- rity in the modern world." In response, Trump said that Putin's "thoughts are so correct," and that he hopes "both sides are able to live up to these thoughts, and we do not have to travel an alternate path." Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Pu- tin sent the letter, "voicing hope for an improvement of bilateral ties," according to the Interfax news agency. Trump's transition team de- scribed the text as an unof- ficial translation. The exchange comes on the heels of com- ments by Trump and Pu- tin alike about the need to strengthen their countries' nuclear arsenals. Trump re- opened the debate over nu- clear proliferation Thurs- day, declaring on Twitter that the U.S. should "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability" until the rest of the world "comes to its senses" regarding nu- clear weapons. Those com- ments echoed an earlier statement by Putin, who said earlier Thursday that strengthening his country's nuclear capabilities should be a chief military objective in the coming year. But Putin downplayed the significance of Trump's comments at a marathon end-of-year news confer- ence Friday. Putin said he sees "nothing unusual" in Trump's pledge to strengthen the U.S. nuclear forces, saying the statement is in line with the president- elect's campaign promises. In his wide-ranging re- marks, the Russian leader claimed that his country's military is stronger than that of any potential aggres- sor, but acknowledged that the U.S. military is bigger. He also cast the modern- ization of Russia's nuclear arsenals as a necessary re- sponse to the U.S. missile defense system. Trump extolled Putin's leadership during the cam- paign and called for a tem- pered approach to U.S.-Rus- sia relations. And while Pu- tin had described Trump in favorable terms during the campaign, observers say Russia's interest is centered around winning relief from crippling sanctions imple- mented under the Obama administration and bolster- ing Russia as the political and economic equivalent of the United States. Tensions have been mounting between the U.S. and Russia in recent months over accusations by the Obama administra- tion that the Russian gov- ernment hacked the emails of U.S. citizens and insti- tutions, including political organizations, and handed them over to DCLeaks.com and WikiLeaks for distri- bution. The FBI said this month that it supports the CIA's conclusion that Russia interfered in the presiden- tial election with the goal of supporting Trump. Trump has repeatedly dismissed claims that Rus- sia sought to usher in his victory, but his remarks in- dicate that Russia may not be an exception to Trump's vow to assert American in- fluence through "unques- tioned military strength." His comments are prompt- ing fears of a nuclear race in the making if Trump breaks longstanding nuclear trea- ties, and if Russia or other countries seek to counter American nuclear gains. Earlier this year, Trump said, with regard to the de- cades-old U.S. policy of re- fusing to rule out being the first to use nuclear weap- ons, "I would certainly not do first strike." That would seem to indicate he does not support the current policy of keeping it indefinite. But then he said, "I can't take anything off the table." Outgoing Defense Sec- retary Ash Carter has also said the Pentagon plans to spend $108 billion over the next five years on its com- mitment to correct decades of shortchanging its nuclear force. He accused Russia in September of "nuclear sa- ber-rattling" and North Ko- rea of nuclear and missile provocations. Trump's spokesman said Friday the president-elect is warning other countries. "It was in response to a lot of countries. Russia, China and others are talking about expanding their nuclear ca- pability," spokesman Sean Spicer said on Fox News. Spicer also told NBC's To- day, "We're not going to sit back and watch other na- tions threaten our safety. ... But just to be clear: The president isn't saying we're going to do this. He said, 'unless they come to their senses.' It's a warning to them that this president isn't going to sit idly by." PRESIDENT-ELECT Trump welcomes 'nice' letter from Putin a er nuclear vow ANDREWHARNIK—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President-elect Donald Trump waves to members of the media a er a meeting with admirals and generals from the Pentagon in Palm Beach, Fla., Wednesday. 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