Donald Trump’s order to resume nuclear testing has created a storm of confusion and diplomatic denials. The order is based on his claim that Russia and China are conducting secret tests, which China has flatly rejected.
The U.S. directive, posted on social media, is ambiguous. It is unclear if “testing” means computer modeling or a physical detonation, which would end the 1992 U.S. moratorium.
Trump’s claim, made in a CBS interview, is that these rival tests are “way underground” and hidden from public view.
China’s foreign ministry issued an immediate and sharp denial. A spokesperson stated that China is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
This all comes as Trump boasts of the U.S. arsenal’s size and follows a recent Russian test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile.