President Donald Trump raised serious concerns Wednesday night by suggesting the United States may resume Nuclear Testing — a practice banned for more than 30 years. Minutes before a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump posted on his social media platform. He announced he has “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”
“That process will begin immediately,” he added.
Trump Raises the Prospect of Renewed Nuclear Testing
The White House declined to clarify whether Trump referred to explosive testing — which only North Korea has conducted this century — or to routine tests of nuclear delivery platforms. The ambiguity has left global leaders, scientists, and arms control experts questioning whether the U.S. might be preparing to shatter a long-standing global norm that helped curb nuclear proliferation.
Read more at The New York Times: Trump and Xi Ease Off the Trade War, but New Nuclear Threat Brings a Chill.
Mixed Signals from Washington
When asked about Trump’s statement, Vice President J.D. Vance said the president’s message “speaks for itself,” adding, “We have a big arsenal … sometimes you’ve got to test it to make sure it’s functioning properly.”
