admin
President Trump stunned a complacent foreign-policy class by ordering the Pentagon to resume U.S. nuclear testing immediately, a long-overdue move to restore real deterrence in a dangerous world. The president made the announcement publicly and pressed the case that America must never cede its edge to hostile powers.
Mr. Trump was blunt that this directive responds to the nuclear activity of rivals and to a decades-long decline in American strategic boldness, saying the U.S. will act “on an equal basis” if others test. His comments followed social-media posts and on-the-record remarks that left no doubt about his intent to reassert strength in the nuclear realm.
Let’s be clear about the backdrop: the last U.S. explosive nuclear test took place in 1992 and for decades we relied on a moratorium while rivals developed new delivery systems and exotic weapons. Establishment hand-wringers cry “escalation,” but they ignore the uncomfortable truth that weakness invites aggression and that technical, credible testing is a cornerstone of deterrence.
Conservative patriots should welcome a president who finally treats national security like a priority instead of a checkbox. For too long, timid foreign policy and appeasement have told Beijing and Moscow that the United States might blink; resuming testing sends a simple message: we will preserve our arsenal and our freedom, not lecture our way into vulnerability.
Washington’s critics insist the National Nuclear Security Administration can’t flick a switch and that resuming tests would be messy and slow — and they’re right about the logistics. Experts note the need for time and resources to restart contained underground testing and that bureaucracy and staffing shortfalls will require a deliberate, well-funded push from the Defense and Energy Departments.
Let the record show that challengers will notice and respond — Moscow has warned it would act if the U.S. abandons the moratorium — but that is not an argument for timidity. It is precisely because rivals watch every American move that our resolve must be unmistakable and backed by capability, not by wishful thinking and moralizing lectures.
Congress and the Pentagon must now stop playing politics and fully support the commander-in-chief when it comes to defending the Republic. Fund the programs, authorize the people, and stop letting process be an excuse for strategic decline; our adversaries will only respect strength and reliability.
America’s safety has always rested on deterrence, not on the hope that others will behave. This administration’s decision forces a long-overdue reckoning: either we rebuild and lead from strength, or we continue down the path of surrender by attrition. Hardworking Americans deserve leaders who act to keep them safe — and this is the sort of leadership those men and women can be proud of.
