New Delhi: Former US President Donald Trump has emphasized the need for the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing ongoing tests by countries including Pakistan, Russia, China, and North Korea. Speaking to CBS News, Trump argued that the US must maintain parity with other “powerful” nations conducting nuclear experiments.
“Russia’s testing and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it. We’re an open society. We have to talk about it because otherwise, you people are going to report. They don’t have reporters writing about it,” Trump said. He further noted that North Korea and Pakistan have also been actively testing nuclear systems.
Trump claimed that the US does not “necessarily know” the exact locations of these underground tests but stressed their significance. “They test way underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening. You feel a little bit of a vibration. They test, and we don’t. We have to test,” he said.
The remarks came amid discussions of detonating nuclear weapons for the first time in over 30 years, following Russia’s recent tests of advanced nuclear-capable systems, including the Poseidon underwater drone. “We’re the only country that doesn’t test, and I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test,” Trump stated. He also underscored the US arsenal, claiming the nation has “enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times,” and mentioned ongoing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on denuclearization.
US Clarifies Testing Will Not Involve Nuclear Explosions
In response to Trump’s statements, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that the planned tests will not involve nuclear detonations. “The tests we’re talking about right now are system tests. These are not nuclear explosions. They are what we call non-critical explosions,” Wright told Fox News.
He explained that the tests are designed to evaluate all components of a nuclear weapon to ensure proper functionality and reliability. “These tests will be carried out on new systems to help ensure replacement nuclear weapons are better than previous ones,” Wright added.
This marks the first official clarification from the administration since Trump announced plans to begin testing “on an equal basis” with other nations, highlighting the US commitment to maintaining a credible and modern nuclear deterrent.
