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Russia’s announcement that it completed a long-range test of the nuclear-powered 9M730 Burevestnik set off alarms in capitals around the world — and rightly so. President Vladimir Putin boasted the weapon could fly for hours and cover intercontinental distances, a reckless flex in the middle of a grinding war in Ukraine that should be getting ended, not escalated. President Trump answered in kind, warning that the United States is “not playing games” and reminding the world that American military deterrence remains real and ready.
Moscow’s own generals claimed the missile flew roughly 14,000 kilometers and stayed aloft for about 15 hours during the latest trial, language designed to shock and awe rather than reassure. Putin called the system “unique” and suggested it could evade defenses — a dramatic claim that deserves skepticism given the program’s troubled history. The Kremlin’s boasting is propaganda dressed up as capability, intended to cow Europe and test Washington’s resolve.
Americans should also remember the practical dangers of this project: earlier mishaps tied to the weapon’s nuclear propulsion have cost Russian lives and nearly created radioactive crises, the kind of reckless experimentation no responsible leader would condone. The 2019 accident at the Nyonoksa test site that killed researchers and sparked radiation alarms remains a chilling reminder of how dangerous these weapons are — not just to enemies but to anyone unlucky enough to be downwind. If Moscow truly believes this is a path to security, it is painfully misguided; it’s a dangerous escalation that imperils civilians and global stability.
President Trump’s blunt response — reminding reporters the United States “tests missiles all the time” and pointing to American submarines deployed where they matter — was the right kind of clarity. Strength is the language dictators understand, and Trump made clear America will not cower while Vladimir Putin plays nuclear games. The administration’s hints that new economic measures could follow a continued pattern of Russian provocation show Washington is willing to combine deterrence with real consequences.
Conservatives should applaud a posture that blends readiness with resolve: call out the Kremlin’s bluster, shore up deterrence, and keep sanctions and diplomatic pressure ready to deploy. Weakness and indecision only invite further Russian adventurism; the lesson of the past decade is that talk without teeth is useless. If the Biden era’s dithering taught us anything, it’s that the United States cannot rely on goodwill from autocrats — it must project power and defend its friends.
Now is not the time for false equivalence or for shrinking from hard choices. Congress and the administration must fund our defense properly, accelerate support for allies in Europe, and tighten the economic screws on Moscow where it hurts — while keeping nuclear command-and-control safe and transparent. China and other major powers should see that the United States remains unshakable; peace is kept by strength, not platitudes from coastal elites.
Americans who love freedom and value peace should stand united behind a strategy that protects our homeland and our allies. This moment demands resolve, not retreat, and a President who speaks plainly about American might while working to bring a swift end to a needless war in Ukraine is showing the kind of leadership the world needs.
