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President Donald Trump downplays resumption of US nuclear testing for the first time in more than three decades Other countries are also doing the same.
In a true social Post On Thursday the President said he has instructed the Pentagon “Immediate” test Nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with other nuclear-armed countries.
Trump wrote the post just before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tour across Asia. After the meeting, on the way back to Washington, DC on Air Force One, reporters asked him what was the reason behind this decision.
“Other people are testing, I think it’s only fair that we also test,” the US president told reporters. “We have more nuclear weapons than anyone else. We don’t test – stopped that many years ago. With other people testing, I think it’s only fair that we test too.”
Asked when nuclear testing would begin, Trump said the timing would be “announced.”
Earlier in the day, he wrote on Truth Social: “The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. During my first term in office, this was accomplished, including a complete update and renewal of existing weapons. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but I had no choice!”
“Russia is in second place, and China is in third place, but within 5 years it will be even. Because of the testing programs of other countries, I have directed the War Department to begin testing our nuclear weapons on a similar basis. This process will begin immediately.”
The US last confirmed a nuclear test in 1992 during the tenure of President George HW Bush, while China did so in 1996.
In 1992, Bush announced a unilateral moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. Four years later, President Bill Clinton signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, calling it “the longest-sought, most difficult award in the history of arms control.” America is one of these 187 countries who have signed the treaty, and one of only 18 who have not ratified it.
Although Russia initially ratified the treaty in 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin canceled the country’s ratification in 2023.
The President also did not reveal where the testing would take place, but the last test of the weapons took place in Nevada.
Over the weekend, Putin announced that Moscow was successfully tested Its nuclear powered missile.
“This is a unique vessel that no one else in the world has,” Putin said.
As of last year, Russia had an estimated 4,300 nuclear warheads in its military stockpile, while the US had about 3,700. Federation of American Scientists,
Several lawmakers have spoken out against Trump’s decision to restart testing.
“Absolutely not. I will introduce legislation to ban this,” Nevada Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus Said In a social media post.
Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey said, “The United States has not conducted any nuclear tests since 1992 and we should not restart them. This is a reckless decision that will only make us less safe and fuel a new nuclear arms race.” wrote,
In the wake of Trump’s comments, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a Thursday press conference that his country hopes the US will abide by the treaty and the nuclear test moratorium and “take concrete actions to maintain the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime as well as global strategic balance and stability.”