US drops largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan after giving military 'total authorization'
The U.S. military dropped a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (MOAB), the largest non-nuclear weapon in the arsenal, on ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan. This was the first combat use of the MOAB. Trump refused to confirm whether he personally authorized the strike, saying he had given the military 'total authorization' to make such decisions. The bomb killed an estimated 96 militants but also raised concerns about civilian casualties. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned using Afghanistan as a 'testing ground for new and dangerous weapons.'
“What I do is I authorize my military. We have the greatest military in the world and they've done a job as usual. So we have given them total authorization.” — Press conference, April 13, 2017
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryTrump's claim of giving the military 'total authorization' represented an abdication of presidential responsibility for military decisions, creating unclear accountability for potentially catastrophic choices.
The use of the largest non-nuclear bomb for the first time in combat appeared designed more for spectacle and projecting strength than for military necessity.
Trump's refusal to confirm his personal involvement allowed him to claim credit for appearing tough while avoiding responsibility if the strike caused civilian casualties or international backlash.
The timing, shortly after the Syria strikes, suggested a pattern of using dramatic military action to demonstrate decisiveness during his first 100 days.