Overview
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said planned activities involve system or noncritical tests rather than nuclear detonations.
- Pakistan and China publicly rejected Trump’s allegation that they are conducting secret nuclear explosive tests.
- Trump’s nominee to lead U.S. Strategic Command testified that neither China nor Russia has conducted a nuclear explosive test.
- The United States has not carried out an explosive nuclear test since 1992, and only North Korea has detonated a device in recent decades.
- Experts warn that any move to restart detonations would be technically difficult, expensive, require years to execute, and risk eroding nonproliferation norms and straining alliances.