Overview
- President Trump said Russia, China, North Korea and Pakistan are secretly conducting nuclear tests and cited those claims to justify an immediate U.S. testing order.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified the planned activities are noncritical system tests that do not involve nuclear detonations, underscoring no return to mushroom‑cloud explosions.
- China’s Foreign Ministry denied any explosive testing and called on the United States to maintain the moratorium and uphold the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty’s norms.
- Arms‑control experts warned that any move toward explosive testing could erode long‑standing non‑proliferation norms and risk a chain reaction of tests by other states.
- The United States has not detonated a nuclear device since 1992, and officials have not outlined a timeline or process for any explosive tests, fueling confusion over agency roles and intent.