Donald Trump has made the world go nuclear

Key Points:

• Former President Donald Trump has demonstrated inconsistent and impulsive approaches to nuclear issues, relying on familial pride rather than updated expertise, particularly in his handling of Iran and North Korea.
• Trump's war with Iran, ongoing for nearly six months, has lacked a clear strategy, with shifting justifications ranging from liberating Iranians to preventing nuclear weapons development, despite previous claims that Iran’s nuclear program was already neutralized.
• The administration’s framing of economic sacrifices for the Iran conflict as patriotic has failed to convince most Americans, especially after Trump abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and pursued military action instead.
• Trump’s contradictory policies include punishing allies like South Korea for not supporting his Iran stance, while maintaining a personal rapport with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, despite North Korea’s ongoing nuclear advancements and alliance with Russia.
• Experts warn that Trump’s contrasting treatment of nuclear-armed states has undermined global nonproliferation efforts, potentially sparking a new nuclear arms race and raising serious historical questions about his legacy in this arena.