Trump Recklessly Discussing First Nuclear Test In Decades

Despite the state of the country and the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears that there have been ongoing discussions within Trump’s administration to start testing nuclear weapons again. This right now – during a pandemic, an economic collapse, civil unrest, and after a decade of dormancy – is nothing if not unsettling.

As a reminder of what that once looked like:

According to the Washington Post:

‘The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct the first U.S. nuclear test explosion since 1992 in a move that would have far-reaching consequences for relations with other nuclear powers and reverse a decades-long moratorium on such actions, said a senior administration official and two former officials familiar with the deliberations.

‘The matter came up at a meeting of senior officials representing the top national security agencies May 15, following accusations from administration officials that Russia and China are conducting low-yield nuclear tests — an assertion that has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence and that both countries have denied.

‘A senior administration official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive nuclear discussions, said that demonstrating to Moscow and Beijing that the United States could “rapid test” could prove useful from a negotiating standpoint as Washington seeks a trilateral deal to regulate the arsenals of the biggest nuclear powers.’

“Useful from a negotiating standpoint.” Really? It seems like an invitation for Beijing and Moscow to show bigger retaliatory force, and along those lines, let’s not forget N. Korea and our shaky “peace” with them:

“‘It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit,” SAID DARYL KIMBALL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARMS CONTROL ASSOCIATION. “It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing.”‘

Director Kimball makes a valid point. If the United States starts testing weapons again after a decade, what does that say to the rest of the world? How will they take it?

According to sources, the meeting didn’t end with an agreement to start conducting the tests yet, but the proposal is an “ongoing” discussion, and more talks are planned moving forward.

The very idea that it’s being discussed at all, may not go over well – especially right now with so much uncertainty in the world.

Featured image via screenshot