In an explosive television interview, President Donald Trump claimed that “Russia’s testing, and China’s testing” nuclear weapons, but that “they don’t talk about it.” This allegation was immediately denied by China’s foreign ministry.
Beijing responded by stating it is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” that has “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.” The ministry emphasized its “self-defence” nuclear posture.
Trump’s claims were the basis for his new order for the U.S. to resume its own testing program. “I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test,” he said, adding North Korea and Pakistan to his list of alleged testers.
The former president had previously announced the order on social media, where he instructed the “Department of War” to begin testing “on an equal basis.” He also claimed the U.S. has “more nuclear weapons than any other country.”
This directive has sparked international alarm and confusion over whether the U.S. will conduct its first nuclear explosion since 1992.