A vague order from Donald Trump to “start testing” has put decades of U.S. nuclear policy in doubt. The directive, which Trump claims is a response to secret foreign tests, has sparked confusion and a sharp denial from China.
The central issue is the ambiguity of the social media post. It is not known if Trump is calling for computational modeling or a physical detonation, which the U.S. has not conducted since 1992.
Trump’s justification for the order is his claim that Russia and China are conducting their own tests in secret. He alleged these were “way underground” and hidden from view.
China’s foreign ministry swiftly refuted the claim. A spokesperson stated that Beijing is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
The order comes shortly after Russia tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. Trump has also recently claimed the U.S. has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, further escalating rhetoric.