Trump administration discussed conducting first U.S. nuclear test in decades

[soryang]

By
John Hudson and
Paul Sonne
May 22, 2020 at 9:32 p.m. EDT

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.

more:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-administration-discussed-conducting-first-us-nuclear-test-in-decades/2020/05/22/a805c904-9c5b-11ea-b60c-3be060a4f8e1_story.html

there is probably a paywall, i didn't get it for some reason.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. Just when you think he couldn't get any worse, he does.

"If we have nuclear weapons, why can't we use them?" he asked three times during the transition briefings.

Here's the first place I wouldn't want to live:

[dewsgirl]

2. This administration screws everything they do, he's going

to get a bunch of us nuked.

[katmondoo]

4. My first thought after Trump was elected is that he would get us nuked.

Looks like I may have been wrong. Here I thought he is killing us with the virus only but I am wrong it just may be both.

[dewsgirl]

5. I had the exact same thought, that's when I started obsessively

following this lunatic.

[Blue Owl]

3. Let me guess -- on a hurricane, right?