In a recent interview with CBS News, President Donald Trump discussed his directive for the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing concerns over secretive tests by countries like China and Russia. This interview aired on Sunday as Trump prepared for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump asserted that the U.S. is currently the only nation refraining from testing, despite claims that other nations are conducting tests covertly. He emphasized the need for the U.S. to understand the functionality of its nuclear arsenal, particularly in light of Russia's announced testing plans and ongoing tests by North Korea. "We’re the only country that doesn’t test, and I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test," he stated.
When CBS correspondent Nora O'Donnell challenged Trump's assertion that China and Russia were not publicly testing, Trump insisted that such activities were being conducted underground and not disclosed to the public. He characterized the U.S. as an "open society" that openly discusses its nuclear capabilities, contrasting it with other nations.
In response to Trump's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning denied that China was conducting any nuclear tests, reaffirming Beijing's commitment to a self-defense nuclear strategy and a suspension of nuclear testing.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that the upcoming U.S. tests would not involve nuclear detonations but rather system checks to ensure the proper function of nuclear weapon components. The last U.S. nuclear detonation occurred in 1992, following which an international agreement to halt nuclear testing was signed in 1996, though it was not ratified by the Senate. The last known nuclear test was conducted by North Korea in 2017.