Impulsive, Mercurial, Ill-Informed, Conflicted and Frighteningly Powerful

"The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country; [Russia is second and China is] a distant third [but catching up]."

"Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis."

"That process will begin immediately."

"They seem to all be nuclear testing. We halted [testing] many years ago, but with others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also."

"I’d like to see a denuclearization. We’re actually talking to Russia about that, and China would be added to that if we do something."  

U.S. President Donald J. Trump

US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he walks to Marine One in Washington, DC, October 24.  Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

 

"Either he is talking about testing missiles, but the United States already does that. Or he is talking about subcritical tests, but I don't think he has mastered that level of technology."

"Or he is talking about real tests, but no one does that, except North Korea." 

"We are almost certain that Russia and China are conducting subcritical tests that release a certain amount of energy but remain within the limits."

"[But] in the United States they are conducting more restrictive subcritical tests, with no energy release, no heat and no critical reaction."

"But it's an extremely complicated subject, and I don't know if he is at that level of subtlety."

Heloise Fayet, researcher, Institute of International Relations, France

 

"Initially, I thought Trump was reacting to Russia's announcements about new systems like the nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik and the Poseidon torpedo."

"So my first interpretation was that Trump was referring to system testing, not warhead testing."

William Alberque, former head, NATO nuclear non-proliferation centre 

 

"Regarding the tests of Poseidon and Burevestnik, we hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump."  

"This cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test."

"The US is a sovereign country which has a right to make its sovereign decisions. But I want to recall President Putin's statement, which has been repeated many times: if someone departs from the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly."

"There is indeed an ongoing [nuclear testing] moratorium."

"Trump mentioned that other countries were allegedly testing nuclear weapons. Up until now, we have not known that anyone was testing. And if the reference was to the [nuclear-powered] Burevestnik  [cruise missile] test, that is by no means a nuclear test."

"All countries are developing their defense systems."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov 

A sub-surface atomic test is shown March 23, 1955 at the Nevada Test Site near Yucca Flats, Nev., AP/U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

"Trump is misinformed and out of touch. The US has no technical, military, or political justification for resuming nuclear explosive testing for the first time since 1992."

"Trump will trigger strong public opposition in Nevada, from all US allies, and it could trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by US adversaries, and blow apart the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty."

Daryl G Kimball, executive director of the ACA [Arms Control Association]  

At a time in the world when there is a general taut aura of suspicion and suspense, tense suppositions and subterfuge, while in various corners of the globe conflicts and bloodshed on a huge scale blight the landscape, among degradation of human rights, and three world powers are jockeying for position as global power giants what is most definitely not needed are gestures and potential acts that can only have the effect of further destabilizing nations' relations with one another. Cue the most powerful of world leaders musing abstractedly over a resumption of nuclear testing in this atmosphere. 

 

Like a powerful typhoon driving oceanic crests, this same world leader in his second leadership of the United States seems to enjoy shocking the leaders of foreign nations with his ill-advised bullying, whether it be targeting trade, upsetting the world economy -- including his own by default -- or busily shifting his diplomatic weight to occupy the seat of government control of other sovereign nations to obey his whimsical notions or pay the steep price of his displeasure.

 

Nuclear experts throughout the world are now attempting to decipher Mr. Trump's full agenda in his musing over nuclear testing which convinced him to peremptorily order his military to resume nuclear testing, in defiance of international treaties of long standing to stand back from active nuclear activities. 

That explosive revelation following over three decades of international agreements to cool the atmosphere of nuclear-rattling upsmanship leaves nuclear experts puzzled over the order given the Pentagon, as to its full meaning and implementation.  

"We know for certain that some figures in Washington are already considering the possibility of conducting live tests of their nuclear weapons."

"But if the U.S. conducts tests, then we will too."

Russian President Vladimir Putin 

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, the crew of the Bryansk nuclear submarine of the Russian navy prepares to conduct a practice launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile during the drills of Russia's nuclear forces.  AP/Russian Defense Ministry Press S

Aboard Air Force One, President Trump in his discussion with press reporters noted it had been "many years" since nuclear tests had been conducted by the United States, but it seemed to him that the time was now "appropriate" to begin testing once more, since in his opinion other countries are thus engaged. Russia last tested a nuclear weapon in 1990 and the U.S. followed in 1992. In the 21st Century thus far it is only North Korea that has tested nuclear devices. 

 

Following hard on President Vladimir Putin's announcement of Russia's testing of nuclear-powered nuclear-capable weapons -- a cruise missile and an underwater drone -- it seems that Mr. Trump has convinced himself that the U.S. must demonstrate its preparedness to match Moscow's feat, to garner the kind of attention that he craves, reflecting on the status of the power he holds. This time it was the Kremlin that sought to cool matters down, stressing that the tests did not constitute tests of atomic weapons, per se.

 

There are, in fact, tests already carried out by the U.S. on its weaponry, similar to the recent Russian tests. The U.S. carried out tests in September of its nuclear-capable Trident missiles. Testing of the missiles, not the nuclear payload they are meant to carry. The issue has been sufficiently confused as to convince some experts that the American president has swayed toward the testing of atomic warheads. And while computer-based simulations of tests render accurate dimensions of such tests, making actual tests redundant, there are groups supporting Mr. Trump, lobbying for nuclear testing resumption.

 

"America must prepare to test nuclear weapons", stated the influential conservative think tank Heritage Foundation in a January report, referencing a "deteriorating security environment". The Russian defence ministry was ordered by Vladimir Putin in 2023 to see that its nuclear agency Rosatom must "ensure readiness for testing Russian nuclear weapons", in response to his own uneasiness over NATO's potential response to his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.   

"[The  resumption of such tests] could trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by America's adversaries, and blow apart the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty."

Daryl Kimball, executive director, Arms Control Association, Washington 

 

"If by testing he means nuclear explosive testing, that would be reckless, probably not possible for 18 months, would cost money that Congress would have to approve." 

"[It would] most certainly [encourage  countries like Russia, China, India and Pakistan to resume their own tests]."

"Unlike the United States, all these countries would have much to gain by restarting nuclear testing."

Hans Kristensen, director, Nuclear Information Project, Federation of American Scientists 

An nuclear-capable Trident missile is fired from a U.S. submarine. Photo by Getty Images