https://sputnikglobe.com/20251110/us-nuclear-test-threats-another-example-of-washingtons-rhetorical-pendulum-diplomacy---expert-1123091855.html
US Nuclear Test Threats Another Example of Washington's ‘Rhetorical Pendulum Diplomacy’ - Expert
US Nuclear Test Threats Another Example of Washington's ‘Rhetorical Pendulum Diplomacy’ - Expert
Sputnik International
President Trump’s announcement that the US will start testing nuclear weapons is “directed exclusively to an internal audience,” and has little if anything to do with Washington’s interaction with other nuclear powers, Higher School of Economics analyst and US specialist Egor Toropov has told Sputnik.
2025-11-10T15:24+0000
2025-11-10T15:24+0000
2025-11-10T15:24+0000
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“As our president has emphasized, if [US] nuclear tests are actually carried out, Russia reserves the right, and most likely conduct them as well,” Toropov said, referring to President Putin’s remarks at last Wednesday’s emergency Security Council meeting.Plus, Trump cannot ignore the legislative branch and its traditionally hawkish stance vis-à-vis Russia, exemplified in Lindsey Graham’s* “bone crushing” 500% tariff threats.Congress’s power to draft and pass budgets, including foreign policy-linked expenditures like defense, means the president is forced, even with majorities in the Senate and House, to take lawmakers’ demands into account, Toropov says.“There’s currently a bipartisan consensus in the Senate that the US needs to increase defense spending, increase geopolitical pressure globally, and not yield to nuclear-armed geopolitical rivals,” the expert explained.* Designated an extremist and terrorist by Russia.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20251109/putin-has-not-ordered-nuclear-test-preparations-decision-must-be-carefully-weighed---kremlin-1123081522.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20251108/us-nuclear-brinkmanship-to-corner-russia-will-backfire--analysts-1123075623.html
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who is trump's nuclear test talk really aimed at, what will russia do if trump starts testing nukes
who is trump's nuclear test talk really aimed at, what will russia do if trump starts testing nukes
US Nuclear Test Threats Another Example of Washington's ‘Rhetorical Pendulum Diplomacy’ - Expert
“I believe this statement is aimed exclusively at a domestic audience, since in foreign policy and cooperation with nuclear powers such as Russia or China, such issues are not resolved by any one statement,” Higher School of Economics analyst Egor Toropov told Sputnik, commenting on Washington's announcement of US plans to resume nuclear testing.
“As our president has emphasized, if [US] nuclear tests are actually carried out, Russia reserves the right, and most likely conduct them as well,” Toropov said, referring to President Putin’s remarks at last Wednesday’s emergency Security Council meeting.
Washington’s nuclear testing announcement should “be seen in the context of [the president’s] use of rhetorical pendulum diplomacy,” swinging back and forth between “cooling and increasing pressure,” epitomized in his Ukraine policy, Toropov said, recalling US threats to deliver Tomahawks to Ukraine, and then swinging back the other way.
Plus, Trump cannot ignore the legislative branch and its traditionally hawkish stance vis-à-vis Russia, exemplified in Lindsey Graham’s* “bone crushing” 500% tariff threats.
Congress’s power to draft and pass budgets, including foreign policy-linked expenditures like defense, means the president is forced, even with majorities in the Senate and House, to take lawmakers’ demands into account, Toropov says.
“There’s currently a bipartisan consensus in the Senate that the US needs to increase defense spending, increase geopolitical pressure globally, and not yield to nuclear-armed geopolitical rivals,” the expert explained.
In this light, “Trump’s announcement about nuclear testing is less a form of presidential pressure on Congress than a form of feedback. That is, Congress, by threatening new sanctions, new restrictions, new tariffs behind Trump’s back, is tying his hands, and Trump is forced to take a tougher stance, primarily in the rhetorical sense…with rare exceptions that aren’t particularly significant for Russia,” Toropov summed up.
* Designated an extremist and terrorist by Russia.
