Trump's Nuclear Testing Order and the New Cold War

Trump's Nuclear Testing Directive

• ⚡ President Trump has reportedly ordered the U.S. military to begin testing the world's most powerful weapons, potentially including explosions in the Nevada desert.
• ⚠️ This directive follows Russia's recent launch of its own nuclear missile and claims of developing an underwater nuclear weapon capable of creating radioactive tsunamis.
• 💡 Trump's rationale suggests that with other nations testing, it is appropriate for the U.S. to do so as well, ending a long period of no testing since 1992.

The New START Treaty and Arms Control

• 🎯 The U.S. and Russia were scheduled to renegotiate the New START treaty, which expires in February, but Russia has already withdrawn.
• 📈 National defense expert Rebecca Heinrich argues that extending New Start would be detrimental, potentially making it harder to deter Russia's use of nuclear weapons or attacks on NATO countries.
• 🇨🇳 It would also undermine America's ability to deter China, which has significantly expanded its nuclear arsenal.

Political Reactions and Strategic Considerations

• 🗣️ Some Democrats have criticized Trump's potential resumption of nuclear testing as a breach of international treaties and divorced from reality.
• 🧐 However, the segment notes that a Democrat member of Congress had previously viewed testing as a potentially good idea, suggesting that criticism of Trump can sometimes outweigh national defense concerns.
• 🚀 The argument is made that in a potential nuclear arms race, it is preferable to be the first mover if adversaries are already breaking rules and testing their own weapons.