Donald Trump’s recent order for the U.S. to resume nuclear testing has been framed as a retaliatory measure, but it has mostly sparked confusion and a diplomatic row with China. The directive’s implications for the 30-year U.S. moratorium on nuclear explosions remain dangerously unclear.
The confusion began with a social media post telling the “Department of War” to “start testing.” It is unknown if this implies computational analysis or the first physical U.S. detonation since 1992.
Trump claims the move is justified retaliation. In an interview, he alleged that both Russia and China are conducting their own secret tests. “They don’t talk about it,” he said, claiming the tests were “way underground.”
China’s foreign ministry swiftly issued a categorical denial. A spokesperson asserted that Beijing is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has fully “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
This entire episode unfolds as global tensions rise. Russia recently tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, and Trump has been boasting about the superior size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
