Trump Signals Potential Return to US Nuclear Testing: Global Concerns Rise Over Unprecedented Decision

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President Donald Trump reaffirmed Friday his intention to conduct testing of US nuclear weapons, yet continued to leave the international community uncertain whether he was referring to live detonations in an announcement that has generated global anxiety and bewilderment.

When questioned by an AFP reporter about whether he intended to authorize underground nuclear explosions for the first time since 1992, Trump responded aboard Air Force One: "I am not going to say."

"You'll find out very soon, but we're going to do some testing, yeah. Other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going do it," he stated while traveling to his Florida golf resort for Halloween.

It should be noted that no nation except North Korea has conducted explosive nuclear weapon tests in decades. China's last such test occurred in 1996, while Russia's final test was in 1990.

The 79-year-old Republican initially revealed this unexpected testing directive via social media on Thursday, moments before entering talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

Trump's announcement followed Russia's claims of having tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile called the Burevestnik, as well as a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone.

Iran, whose controversial nuclear program faced US military strikes earlier this year under Trump's orders, condemned Trump's directive as "regressive and irresponsible."

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on social media: "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program."

Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, sent a formal protest letter to the US embassy in Japan, declaring the order "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, amid international concern and questions from US Congress members, stated the Pentagon was moving "quickly" to implement Trump's orders and characterized testing as "responsible."

"The president was clear. We need to have a credible nuclear deterrent," Hegseth told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. "Resuming testing is a pretty responsible, very responsible way to do that. I think it makes nuclear conflict less likely."

China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by the global nuclear testing ban, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated through a spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances."

The United States has been a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty since 1996, which prohibits all atomic test explosions for both military and civilian purposes.

The Kremlin rejected any suggestion that Russia's recent weapons systems tests could justify a return to live nuclear detonations, questioning whether Trump was properly informed and implying Russia would conduct its own live tests if the US proceeded first.

"These drills cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump."

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia currently maintains approximately 4,309 deployed and stored warheads, compared to 3,700 for the United States and 600 for China, not including hundreds of additional warheads scheduled for dismantling.

The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first test occurred in New Mexico, and 1992. It remains the only nation to have employed nuclear weapons in combat, having attacked Japan twice during World War II.

The final US nuclear test explosion took place in September 1992 - a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. President George H.W. Bush subsequently imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992, which has been maintained by all subsequent administrations.