President Donald Trump has announced the United States will begin testing nuclear weapons, a move made public on his Truth Social platform before a meeting with the Chinese president. The White House has not clarified whether this refers to nuclear warheads or delivery systems. This announcement comes as nuclear policy experts observe a period of heightened global nuclear threat.
Announcement Details
President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he instructed the "Department of War" to start testing nuclear weapons "on an equal basis," citing testing programs by other countries. He indicated this process would "begin immediately." The announcement occurred before a scheduled meeting with the Chinese president. Subsequent comments from Trump indicated nuclear test sites would be determined later. The White House has not issued clarifications regarding whether the testing refers to nuclear delivery systems or the weapons themselves.
Historical Context of Nuclear Testing
Nuclear-armed states regularly test nuclear weapon delivery systems. North Korea is the only nation to have tested an actual nuclear weapon since the 1990s, with its last test occurring in 2017.
Expert Perspectives on Impact
Six policy experts interviewed by the BBC discussed the implications of potential nuclear weapons testing. One expert disagreed that Trump's comments would have a major impact, and another did not believe the US was provoking an arms race. However, all six experts stated that the world faces a rising nuclear threat.
Jamie Kwong, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, expressed concern that such testing could initiate a "domino effect" among nuclear-armed states, given the decades without such tests (excluding North Korea). Kwong also stated the US, Russia, and China are potentially entering a period that could become an arms race.
Darya Dolzikova, Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), indicated that Trump's comments would significantly alter the situation. She also stated that other global dynamics have raised the risks of nuclear exchange and proliferation to levels not seen in decades. Dolzikova described Trump's message as "a drop in a much larger bucket," with concerns about that "bucket overfilling."
Current Global Nuclear Environment
Experts identified escalating conflicts involving nuclear powers as contributing to global tensions. The war in Ukraine was cited, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has made threats regarding nuclear weapons. Flare-ups, such as one between Pakistan and India this year, and actions involving Israel and Iran, were also mentioned. Israel maintains a policy of neither confirming nor denying its nuclear weapons status. Western nations accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies. Tensions on the Korean peninsula and China's ambitions in Taiwan were also noted as contributing factors. The last existing nuclear treaty between the US and Russia, which limits deployed nuclear arsenals, is scheduled to expire in February of the coming year.