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The United Nations, along with multiple US lawmakers, has condemned President Trump’s announcement to resume nuclear weapons testing.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Yesterday, President Trump made headlines after announcing, just hours before a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, that the United States would immediately resume nuclear weapons testing. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.” Though he did not specify which nations prompted the decision, the timing appeared to reference recent actions by Russia, which announced two significant weapons tests: the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile, and the Poseidon, a nuclear-powered underwater drone. While both systems are designed to carry nuclear warheads, the Kremlin argued that these tests involved the delivery systems only (not actual nuclear detonations). Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, “There is no way it can be interpreted as nuclear testing,” and reiterated Russia’s position that they would only resume nuclear testing if another country did so first.
What’s going on now: President Trump’s comments have ignited a wave of condemnation from both international bodies and US lawmakers, who view the announcement as a dangerous departure from decades of nuclear restraint. The United Nations issued a rare rebuke, warning of the potentially catastrophic consequences of any return to nuclear testing. “The secretary-general has repeatedly asserted that current nuclear risks are already alarmingly high, and all actions that could lead to miscalculation or escalation with catastrophic consequences must be avoided,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq. “Nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances.” Haq emphasized the enduring legacy of devastation caused by over 2,000 nuclear tests in the last 80 years, stating, “We shouldn’t forget the disastrous legacy of over 2,000 nuclear-weapons tests that have been carried out over the last 80 years.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also went after Trump, calling it a blatant breach of international norms and a distraction from pressing domestic issues. Other lawmakers, particularly those from Nevada (home to the last US nuclear test site), expressed outrage over the proposal. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) condemned the move as both unnecessary and dangerous, noting, “This directly contradicts the commitments I secured from Trump nominees and the opinion of administration officials who certify our nuclear stockpile — who’ve told me explosive nuclear testing would not happen [and] is unnecessary.”
Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-NV) warned of the environmental and human toll, saying, “Nevada knows all too well the lasting consequences of nuclear testing. I won’t allow innocent Nevadans to pay the price for this president’s nuclear saber-rattling.”
There has been no comment from the White House.
