Why President Trump Plans to Restart U.S. Nuclear Tests?
Trump plans to restart U.S. nuclear testing, saying rivals are already testing. China’s nuclear arsenal is growing fastest and could soon rival the U.S.
In a surprising move, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will soon restart nuclear testing for the first time since 1992 almost after 30 years. He said this decision was taken because countries like Pakistan, China, Russia, and North Korea are already conducting such tests.
President Trump explained that the U.S. needs to test its nuclear weapons to make sure they work properly and to stay ahead of other countries, especially China. He also claimed that the U.S. has enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world 150 times.
However, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that these upcoming tests will be noncritical, meaning there will be no nuclear explosions only safety and reliability checks.
Currently, nine countries possess nuclear weapons: the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea. Among these, Russia leads with 4,309 nuclear weapons, followed by the U.S. with 3,700 and China with 600. Experts believe China may have around 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030, which has raised concerns for President Trump.
The main reason behind Trump’s decision is believed to be Russia’s recent test of its nuclear-capable Burevestnik missile, which reportedly flew 14,000 km in 15 hours. President Putin claimed it has an unlimited range and cannot be stopped by any defence system.
With nuclear tensions rising again, India too may need to re-evaluate its position, as Pakistan plans to increase its stockpile from 170 to 200 weapons by 2028.
