“Way Underground” Tests: Trump Justifies US Order with China Claims

Donald Trump is justifying his new order for the U.S. to resume nuclear testing by claiming, without public evidence, that China and Russia are conducting secret tests “way underground.” The move has sparked confusion and a quick, sharp denial from Beijing.
“Russia’s testing, and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it,” Trump said in a CBS interview, providing the foundation for his directive.
That directive, posted to social media, has created chaos due to its vagueness. The instruction to “start testing” does not clarify if it means computer simulations or physical detonations, the latter of which would break the 1992 U.S. moratorium.
China’s foreign ministry swiftly rejected Trump’s allegations. A spokesperson asserted that Beijing is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has consistently “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
This escalation in rhetoric and policy comes at a tense moment. Russia recently tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, and Trump has been publicly claiming the U.S. arsenal is the “world’s largest.”