Trump downplays the specter of nuclear escalation saying US has to check as a result of different nations do it | EUROtoday

President Donald Trump downplayed the resumption of U.S. nuclear testing for the primary time in additional than three a long time by pointing to different nations which are doing the identical.

In a Truth Social put up Thursday, the president stated he directed the Pentagon to “immediately” take a look at nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with different nations with nuclear powers.

Trump wrote the put up simply earlier than his assembly with China’s President Xi Jinping. After the assembly, on his means again to Washington, D.C., on Air Force One, reporters requested him what prompted the choice.

“With others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also,” the U.S. president advised reporters. “We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don’t do testing — halted it many years ago. With others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do testing also.”

When pressed as to when the nuclear testing would start, Trump stated the timing would “be announced.”

Earlier within the day, he wrote on Truth Social: “The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice!”

“Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. 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.”

The final confirmed U.S. nuclear take a look at was in 1992 underneath President George H.W. Bush, whereas China’s was in 1996.

Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced that Moscow had efficiently examined its nuclear-powered missile.

“It is a unique ware which nobody else in the world has,” Putin stated.

As of final yr, Russia had an estimated 4,300 nuclear warheads in its army stockpile whereas the U.S. had about 3,700, in line with the Federation of American Scientists.