As President Donald Trump announces America’s first nuclear tests since 1992, there are fears he could trigger a new nuclear arms race with China, Russia, and the rest of the world
Donald Trump’s decision to resume nuclear testing has been branded “nonsensical” by an ex-Navy officer, as experts issue warnings about the devastating impact the resumption of testing could bring.
Speaking to Reach Plc, Anthony Cowden, who spent 37 years as naval officer, warned that that whilst the resumption of testing wouldn’t guarantee the start of World War 3, that it still wasn’t a very good idea.
Anthony warned that if the US resumed nuclear testing, it could lead to other nations following suit; this, in turn, some experts fear, could mean the resumption of the nuclear arms race.
Anthony said: “It is not clear what the value is in re-starting the testing of nuclear weapons. For one thing, as has been widely reported, no other nation – not even North Korea – is actively testing nuclear weapons.
“So the President’s stated reason for resuming testing is non-sensical. A second point is the US military does not actually need to explode a nuclear weapon to adequately test it.
“Finally, if the US begins testing unilaterally, we can expect other nations to follow suit, and while that may not lead to WW3, it certainly isn’t a positive development.”
Stari Consulting’s Anthony isn’t the only individual to have criticised Trump’s decision to resume nuclear testing with The New World’s James Ball highlighting how the more worrying factor is that Trump’s “delusions” have been left unchallenged.
Writing in the i, he stated: “Once that race is under way, it would prove radically more difficult to stop than it was for Trump to restart.
“Trump’s hyperbole used to be treated as almost a thing of fun, something to be mocked or lightly ridiculed – or dealt with by a newspaper fact checker.
“But as his delusions have been left unchallenged by his sycophantic coterie of advisers and the yes-men that make up the Republican Party in Congress, they have only got grander.”
Amid a worldwide backlash, Trump has claimed that the resumption of nuclear testing is to ensure America can keep pace with rivals Russia and China.
Writing on social media, the president said he was restarting the testing that ceased in 1992 “because of other countries testing programs”.
Following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump added on Air Force One: “With others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also.”
What’s more, Trump’s comments have come around 100 days before the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty expires in February 2026.
The treaty is significant because it is the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between Russia and the USA, one which limited each country to just 1,550 warheads.
As tensions between the two Cold War rivals rocket again following the cancellation of Trump’s summit with Putin, there are fears that the treaty won’t be renewed and a new, more unstable, nuclear era will begin.