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Trump: US to Resume Nuclear Testing 10/30 06:01
President Donald Trump appeared to suggest the U.S. will resume testing
nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades, saying it would be on an
"equal basis" with Russia and China.
BUSAN, South Korea (AP) -- President Donald Trump appeared to suggest the
U.S. will resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades,
saying it would be on an "equal basis" with Russia and China.
The Kremlin pointed out that a global test ban on nuclear test has remained
in place, but warned that if any country resumes nuclear testing Russia would
follow suit.
There was no indication the U.S. would start detonating warheads, but Trump
offered few details about what seemed to be a significant shift in U.S. policy.
He made the announcement on social media minutes before he met with Chinese
leader Xi Jinping on Thursday in South Korea. When he spoke to reporters later
aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington, he offered little clarity.
The U.S. military already regularly tests its missiles that are capable of
delivering a nuclear warhead, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992.
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. signed but did not
ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing
nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception.
Trump suggested, however, that changes were necessary because other
countries were testing weapons. It was unclear what he was referring to, but it
evoked Cold War-era escalations.
"Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the
Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," he
said in a post on Truth Social. "That process will begin immediately."
Kremlin warns that Russia will respond in kind if nuclear tests are resumed
Asked about Trump's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed an
earlier warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said that Moscow
would resume nuclear tests if others do so first.
"If someone abandons the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly," Peskov
said in a call with reporters.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions seeking more
details. Trump ignored a question from a reporter about his post as he sat
face-to-face with Xi in Busan, a meeting that focused on trade issues between
the two countries.
When he spoke to reporters later, Trump appeared to be conflating the
testing of missiles that deliver a nuclear warhead with the testing of the
warheads.
Other countries, he said, "seem to all be nuclear testing" but when it comes
to the U.S., "We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don't do testing."
"I see them testing and I say, well, if they're going to test, I guess we
have to test," Trump said as he continued speaking to reporters.
Trump was asked where the tests would occur and he said, "It'll be
announced. We have test sites."
Pentagon officials didn't immediately respond to questions about the
announcement from Trump on the nuclear missile tests.
Russia tests of new nuclear-powered weapons
Putin this week announced that Russia tested a new atomic-powered and
nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile.
Putin did not announce any tests of Russia's nuclear weapons, however, which
last occurred in 1990.
Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, emphasized that Russia's recent tests of the
Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered
underwater drone had nothing to do with the global ban on testing nuclear
warheads.
"Regarding the tests of the Burevestnik and the Poseidon, we hope that
President Trump was correctly informed about it," Peskov said. "There is no way
it cam be interpreted as nuclear testing."
Trump did not specifically mention the Russian tests in his post, but
alluded to the nuclear stockpiles controlled by both Xi and Putin, saying,
"Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5
years."
Putin in 2023 signed a bill revoking Russia's ratification of a global
nuclear test ban, which Moscow said was needed to put Russia on par with the
U.S. The global test ban was signed by President Bill Clinton but never
ratified by the Senate.
Earlier this year, Trump signaled he wanted to push his Russian and Chinese
counterparts in the other direction, saying he wanted to resume nuclear arms
control talks with both countries.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the U.S. to refrain from
carrying out nuclear tests.
"China hopes the U.S. will earnestly fulfill its obligations under the
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and honor its commitment to suspend
nuclear testing," Guo Jiakun said at a briefing in Beijing.
Despite his announcement that sounded like an escalation, Trump told
reporters that he would like to see a "denuclearization and "de-scalation."
"We are actually talking to Russia about that," Trump said, though he did
not elaborate.
Arms control advocates worried
Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control
Association, quickly criticized the president's announcement and said Trump was
"misinformed and out of touch."
Kimball, in social media posts, said the U.S. has no reason to resume
nuclear explosive testing and it would take at least 36 months to resume
testing at the former test site in Nevada, where the last detonations occurred
underground.
"By foolishly announcing his intention (to) resume nuclear testing, Trump
will trigger strong public opposition in Nevada, from all U.S. allies, and it
could trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by U.S. adversaries, and blow
apart the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty," Kimball said in a post on X.
Japanese survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at
the end World War II condemned Trump's announcement.
"The act vehemently opposes all countries that are endeavoring to achieve a
nuclear-free and peaceful world and absolutely cannot be tolerated," said Jiro
Hamasumi, secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, a survivors organization that
won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
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