Trump Claims Pakistan Testing Nukes, Urges U.S. Readiness
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a television interview that several countries—including Pakistan, China, Russia and North Korea—are conducting nuclear-weapons tests, and asserted that the United States must do the same to stay competitive. He did not provide evidence of recent explosions, and independent monitoring agencies do not publicly confirm Pakistan or China have recently conducted full-scale nuclear tests.
Trump’s Assertions and U.S. Strategy
Trump claimed the U.S. needs to resume its own nuclear tests because other nations are doing so “underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening.” He named Russia, China, North Korea and Pakistan as countries that “test” their nuclear weapons despite official denials or lack of public verification. His remarks came amid a broader U.S. debate over modernising its nuclear arsenal and reassessing its testing moratorium.
International Implications
If countries like Pakistan or China are indeed conducting covert tests, it would raise serious challenges for global arms-control regimes such as the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty (CTBT), which, while not in force, provides a normative standard against nuclear-tests. Although Pakistan, China and the U.S. have not ratified the CTBT, the lack of confirmed tests means Trump’s claims remain unverified. The situation adds tension to regional security in South Asia and East Asia, given Pakistan’s and China’s nuclear capabilities.
What’s Next
The U.S. administration may now accelerate its review of nuclear-deterrence policies, test bans and inspection regimes. Meanwhile, analysts suggest independent seismic, satellite and radiation-monitoring data will be critical to validating or refuting testing claims. Global non-proliferation efforts may face increased strain if key nuclear powers start referencing alleged covert tests to justify new weapons programmes.
