US President Donald Trump has claimed that Pakistan, China and Russia are secretly carrying out nuclear weapons tests, arguing that the United States should not remain the only major power to refrain from such activities, in a television interview with 60 Minutes.
Trump, who recently ordered the Pentagon to “immediately” resume nuclear testing, said North Korea, Pakistan and others are already testing, but “don’t go talking about it.” His comments reignited confusion and concern over whether the United States intends to detonate a nuclear device for the first time since 1992.
He argued that America’s vast nuclear arsenal is enough, in his words, “to blow up the planet 150 times over,” but that does not eliminate the need for actual testing. “We have to see how they work,” Trump said, adding that Russia and China were conducting tests while keeping them quiet. “We are the only country not testing, I don’t want to be the only country not testing,” he continued.
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To defend his position, Trump said that the United States operates more transparently than others. “We are an open society. We talk about it,” he said. “We have to test because they test and others test.” He also argued that while the use of nuclear weapons remains unthinkable, it is essential to guarantee their functionality. “It just doesn’t make sense. How are you going to know if they work? We have to.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the allegations.
Trump’s remarks raised questions about Washington’s commitment to nuclear restraint and could disrupt long-standing international norms. If the United States resumes testing, it could strain global nonproliferation efforts and provoke strong reactions from countries accused of carrying out secret testing.
