A new international spat has erupted after Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to resume nuclear testing, basing the decision on claims that China and Russia are doing so in secret. The order has caused confusion, and the claims have been sharply denied by Beijing.
The directive to “start testing” was posted on social media, but its vagueness has left the world guessing. It is unknown if it means simulations or a physical explosion, which would end the U.S. moratorium.
Trump’s reasoning is that the U.S. must keep pace. He claimed in an interview that rivals are conducting tests “way underground.”
China’s foreign ministry swiftly refuted this. A spokesperson stated that Beijing is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
The situation is further complicated by a recent Russian missile test and Trump’s own boasts about the size of the U.S. arsenal.