“Start Testing”: Trump’s Nuclear Directive Sparks Global Alarm

Donald Trump’s directive for the U.S. to “start testing” nuclear weapons has sparked global alarm, largely due to its ambiguity and the explosive claims used to justify it. The order has been met with confusion and a firm denial from China.
The alarm stems from the lack of clarity. It is unknown if Trump’s social media post refers to computational modeling or a return to physical detonations, which the U.S. has abstained from since 1992.
Trump’s justification is that the U.S. is being taken advantage of. He claims Russia and China are conducting their own secret tests, telling CBS they are “way underground.”
China’s foreign ministry swiftly rejected this narrative. A spokesperson stated that Beijing is “responsible” and has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
This new directive comes shortly after Russia tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. Trump, meanwhile, has been boasting about the U.S. nuclear arsenal, claiming it is the “world’s largest.”