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Trump, Donald

Trump's Nuclear Testing Announcement Sparks International Concern

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has criticized US President Donald Trump's call for the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling it "regressive" and irresponsible. Araghchi's comments come after Trump announced on social media that he has instructed the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear testing, citing the need to match Russia and China's nuclear capabilities. The move has raised concerns about the potential for a new nuclear arms race and a breakdown in international non-proliferation agreements.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US has not carried out a nuclear test since 1992, while Russia's last nuclear test was in 1990 and China's was in 1996. North Korea is the only country to have conducted nuclear tests in the past two decades.
  • Trump's announcement appears to be a response to recent nuclear displays by Russia and China, including the testing of new nuclear-powered super torpedoes and cruise missiles.
  • The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty of 1996, signed by the US, China, and Iran but not ratified by all parties, bans nuclear testing above ground, underground, or underwater.
  • Experts, including Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, suggest that Trump may be referring to missile launches of nuclear-capable missiles, which do not create a nuclear explosion.
  • Iran's nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, and the country has never carried out a nuclear test, according to Panda.

Statistics:

  • The last nuclear test by the US was in 1992, while Russia's was in 1990 and China's was in 1996.
  • North Korea has conducted nuclear tests in the past two decades, with its last test in 2017.
  • The US, China, and Iran have signed but not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty of 1996.
  • Russia withdrawing its ratification in 2023.
  • Only 159 countries out of 193 UN member states have ratified the treaty, with 35 having signed but not ratified it.

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/30/is-trump-launching-a-new-nuclear-arms-race-with-first-us-tests-in-33-years)
  • The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/world/middleeast/donald-trump-nuclear-testing-abrams-aghchi.html)
  • Reuters (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-china-nuclear-idUSKBN25M1BR)
  • Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (https://carnegieendowment.org/)

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