Geopolitical tensions have flared after Donald Trump ordered a resumption of U.S. nuclear testing, a move he based on unverified claims of secret foreign tests. The directive has sparked both confusion at home and a sharp denial from China.
Trump’s order, which he claims is a response to secret tests by rivals, has unclear implications for the U.S. moratorium on nuclear explosions, in place since 1992. It is not known if he is calling for simulations or actual detonations.
In a recent interview, Trump explicitly accused Russia and China of testing “way underground” and “not talking about it.” This allegation forms the basis of his new policy directive.
China’s foreign ministry swiftly refuted the claim. A spokesperson emphasized that Beijing is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has always “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
This diplomatic clash occurs against a backdrop of escalating military posturing. Russia recently tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, and Trump has been publicly lauding the U.S. arsenal as the world’s largest.