WASHINGTON – The United States will resume nuclear weapons testing under orders from President Donald Trump, but without carrying out actual nuclear explosions, Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified on Sunday.
Speaking to Fox News, Wright said the upcoming “system tests” are designed to verify the functionality of all components in a nuclear weapon except for the detonation itself. “These are what we call non-critical explosions,” he explained, adding that the process ensures new nuclear systems are more advanced and reliable than their predecessors.
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The announcement follows Trump’s directive to restart nuclear testing after a 33-year pause, a move seen as a signal to rival nuclear powers, particularly China and Russia. The decision came just before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, highlighting its geopolitical undertone.
Wright noted that the United States has extensive data from nuclear tests conducted between the 1960s and 1980s and now uses advanced computer simulations to predict outcomes. “With our science and computation power, we can simulate incredibly accurately exactly what will happen in a nuclear explosion,” he said.
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The decision to resume system testing has sparked debate among international observers, with many viewing it as a symbolic but strategic move amid renewed global tensions over nuclear deterrence and arms modernization.