Trump Orders Resumption of Nuclear Tests: A Move Towards a New Arms Race?
President Donald Trump has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapons testing in the United States, marking the first such action in over 33 years. This move, which Trump says is necessary to keep pace with Russia and China’s active programs, has sparked global concern over a potential new arms race.
Background
The president's directive to resume nuclear testing was announced ahead of his meeting with China's Xi and in the wake of recent Russian missile and torpedo demonstrations. Trump stated, Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within five years. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.
Key Developments
Trump's call to resume nuclear testing seemingly reverses a decades-long trend. However, it remains unclear whether the president's directive refers to nuclear-explosive testing or flight testing of nuclear-capable missiles. Despite the ambiguity, the announcement has caused widespread alarm, with critics suggesting the move could provoke a dangerous arms race.
US Senator Jacky Rosen slammed Trump's decision as 'devastating and catastrophic', emphasizing that the existing non-nuclear testing program has been working
for several decades. Similarly, Senator Jack Reed warned that American explosive testing could provide justification for other nations such as Pakistan, India, and North Korea to expand their own testing regimes.
Global Reactions and Implications
The decision has drawn strong reactions from Moscow and Beijing, with Moscow vowing to 'act accordingly' and Beijing urging respect for the moratorium. It has also elicited criticism from Japan, a nation with a painful history of nuclear devastation. A Japanese atomic bomb survivors group, hibakusha, which won the Nobel Peace Prize, described Trump’s directive as “utterly unacceptable”.
Experts have warned that a US resumption of nuclear weapons testing would represent a radical shift and could indeed spark a nuclear arms race.
Conclusion
As the world braces for what could potentially be a dangerous new arms race, the ambiguous nature of Trump's directive leaves much uncertain. The exact nature and scope of the proposed tests are yet to be clarified, and it remains to be seen how the international community will respond to this significant policy shift.