The second block should execute but neither do. Now I'm adding another sentence so stack will let me make this edit.
<?php
$earlier_time = new DateTime('2018-12-16 11:17:30');
$thirty_seconds_later = $earlier_time->add(new DateInterval('PT' . 30 . 'S'));
if ($thirty_seconds_later < $earlier_time) {
echo "left is less than right";
} else if ($thirty_seconds_later > $earlier_time) {
echo "left is greater than right";
}
?>