The US president's remarks about US nuclear weapons tests sparked strong reactions around the world this week. The US will "immediately" conduct nuclear weapons tests on par with China and Russia, he wrote on Truth Social on his way home from a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
Russia warned that it would “need to act” if Trump’s words come true, and China stated that it hopes the US will continue to abide by the global ban on nuclear tests.
No tests in 35 years
Many experts were primarily puzzled, however, as neither Russia nor China test nuclear bombs, and have not done so since 1990.
Since the last US test explosions in 1992, only North Korea has conducted nuclear weapons tests, making it unclear exactly what type of tests Trump was referring to by "other countries' testing programs."
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the country had successfully tested a nuclear-capable missile designed to reach targets around the globe. But it was not a nuclear test, Russia stresses.
Hegseth pays tribute
Trump's statement, however, has received support from within his own camp.
"We need to have a deterrent nuclear arsenal. That is the basis of deterrence," said Pete Hegseth, who recently changed his title from defense minister to war minister, according to the AFP news agency.
Resuming the tests is a pretty responsible, very responsible way to maintain it.
A similar statement has also come from Vice President JD Vance, who, according to AFP, says that Trump's words this week "speak for themselves."
