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Nuclear Fears, Debt Woes: US-China Tensions Rise

The U.S. government released new details regarding an alleged secret Chinese nuclear test conducted in 2020, while also preparing for high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran, as reported on February 17, 2026. Simultaneously, concerns arose regarding the solvency of the Social Security trust fund, which is projected to run out of money by fiscal year 2032.

According to NPR, the U.S. government's fresh intelligence points to an illicit Chinese nuclear test that occurred on June 22, 2020. A remote seismic station in Kazakhstan registered a small earthquake, measuring 2.75 magnitude, originating approximately 450 miles away at China's Lop Nur nuclear test site. China is currently undergoing a significant expansion of its nuclear arsenal, as highlighted by images of nuclear-capable DF-31BJ ballistic missiles during a military parade in Beijing on September 3, 2025.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Iran were expected to meet in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, as reported by NPR. Richard Nephew, former deputy special envoy for Iran in the Biden administration and lead sanctions expert for U.S. negotiators, was interviewed to discuss the challenges that remain in the ongoing indirect talks.

Adding to the complex landscape, the Social Security trust fund is nearing insolvency. Fortune reported that the Congressional Budget Office estimates the trust fund will be depleted by fiscal year 2032, which begins in October 2031. This timeframe means that newly elected senators will be in office when the entitlement programs' finances need to be addressed. Economist Veronique de Rugy, a senior research fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center, warned that lawmakers might be tempted to avoid difficult choices, such as cutting payments or raising taxes, and instead finance the shortfall with more debt. She cautioned that this approach could lead to swift economic consequences, according to a Creators Syndicate op-ed.

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Synthesized from multiple sources. Reviewed for accuracy.

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