Following President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday regarding the immediate initiation of new nuclear weapons tests, referencing testing programs in other nations, further warnings and requests for clarification emerged.
Hours after Trump’s statement, made on his Truth Social platform while he was in South Korea for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Vice President J.D. Vance informed reporters that these tests are essential to ensure the functionality of the American nuclear arsenal.
He stated, “Sometimes, you need to test them to confirm they are operational and performing correctly,” adding, “To clarify, we know they are functioning properly, but it’s crucial to stay informed over time, and the president simply wants to ensure we are doing this.”
The specific types of tests Trump referred to and the weapons that will be evaluated remain uncertain at this point.
The spokesperson for António Guterres stated that the UN Secretary-General does not support this decision. He noted that Guterres has been warning for some time that the current nuclear risks are already alarmingly high, and all actions that could lead to miscalculations or escalations with catastrophic consequences should be avoided.
The spokesman pointed out that over the past eighty years—around the lifespan of the United Nations—approximately two thousand nuclear tests have been conducted. From the UN’s perspective, “nuclear testing cannot be permitted under any circumstances.”
The United States and China are recognized as established nuclear powers, alongside Russia, the United Kingdom, and France. According to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), there are currently nine nuclear-armed nations, which also include India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel.