North Korea is declaring that it detonated a hydrogen bomb, and that the test was a "complete success." However, there's no outside verification of that and North Korea has a history of making dubious claims about its nuclear capabilities.
It may be weeks or longer before detectors sent aloft by the United States and other powers can determine what kind of test was conducted. Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said in a statement that American officials "cannot confirm these claims at this time."
But lack of confirmation that it actually happened isn't going to deter Republican presidential candidates from proclaiming it's true!
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Wednesday chided the "weak response" by President Obama and Christie's Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, in the years leading up to North Korea's latest nuclear test.
"Three out of the four nuclear detonations that the North Koreans have done have happened under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's watch," Christie said during an appearance on "Fox and Friends." […]
Christie's remarks echoed those of fellow GOP presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), the first to respond to the reported nuclear test Tuesday night. Rubio suggested North Korea is exploiting Obama's "weakness."
The Florida pip-squeak added that it's "just the latest example of the failed Obama-Clinton foreign policy," and "[w]e need new leadership that will stand up to people like Kim Jong-un and ensure our country has the capabilities necessary to keep America safe." I'm sure Rubio will really strike fear in the heart of Kim Jong-un with his deep knowledge and expertise in foreign policy gained through osmosis, apparently, from all those briefings he didn't bother to attend.