Trump: "Nuclear Weapons Are the Core of Security"... Suggests Resuming Nuclear Tests

75th Anniversary Statement on Trinity Nuclear Test During WWII Emphasizes Nuclear Security
US Scientists: "Resuming US Nuclear Tests Would Be Like Allowing North Korea to Conduct Tests"
US Security Chiefs Discuss Resuming Nuclear Tests in May... "Useful for Nuclear Negotiations with China and Russia"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] On the 75th anniversary of the world's first nuclear test, the 'Trinity Nuclear Test,' U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized the need to strengthen nuclear forces to secure deterrence against nuclear threats from China and Russia. The Trump administration is showing signs of actively pursuing nuclear development, including discussions about resuming nuclear tests in the U.S., which have been halted since 1992. American scientists have opposed this, warning that resuming U.S. nuclear tests could provide justification for nuclear test resumptions by other nuclear-armed countries.

According to the White House on the 16th (local time), President Trump stated in a commemorative statement marking the 75th anniversary of the Trinity nuclear test that "nuclear weapons are the cornerstone of U.S. defense and a key element in preventing nuclear proliferation and ensuring the security of our allies." He added, "We will continue to support the modernization of our nuclear forces to consistently protect U.S. security interests and maintain nuclear deterrence."

President Trump also reiterated that China should join the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), negotiations for which began last month with Russia. He said, "I urge Russia and China to participate in a new nuclear arms control treaty and work together to make the world safer," adding, "It will include measures to guarantee the security of our allies who rely on U.S. nuclear deterrence."

In response to President Trump's commemorative statement, concerns have arisen within the U.S. that he may order the resumption of nuclear tests in the U.S. as part of strengthening nuclear forces. According to AFP, more than 70 American scientists co-signed a letter published in the journal Science opposing the resumption of nuclear tests. The scientists stated in the letter, "If the U.S. resumes nuclear testing, it would effectively grant permission for countries like North Korea, India, and Pakistan to resume nuclear tests," and warned, "This would not strengthen U.S. nuclear deterrence but rather risk fueling nuclear arms races in other countries."

The explosion during the Trinity nuclear test, the world's first nuclear test conducted on July 16, 1945, in the desert near the Alamogordo Air Force Base in New Mexico, USA. Shortly after the success of this nuclear test, on August 6, the United States dropped the same type of atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The U.S. has suspended nuclear tests on its soil for 28 years since 1992 and signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, along with China, Russia, and 154 other countries at the United Nations General Assembly. The CTBT bans all nuclear tests. To date, 184 countries have signed and 168 have ratified the treaty. However, due to opposition from the Republican Party, the treaty has not yet been ratified by the U.S. Congress.

Nevertheless, the possibility of resuming U.S. nuclear tests has recently gained attention. In May, reports emerged that discussions about resuming nuclear tests took place within the Trump administration. The Washington Post (WP), citing senior U.S. officials, reported, "At a meeting on May 15 attended by heads of U.S. national security agencies, the resumption of nuclear tests was discussed," adding, "It was suggested that if the U.S. conducts nuclear tests, it could be useful in bringing Russia and China to the nuclear arms reduction negotiations."

Suspicions of nuclear tests by China and Russia have also played a role. The U.S. has accused China and Russia of secretly conducting nuclear tests in violation of the CTBT. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), in April, the U.S. State Department criticized China for secretly conducting low-yield nuclear tests at the Lop Nur nuclear test site in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, violating the CTBT. It also noted that China has stopped providing information to the U.N. since late August last year. Earlier, in May last year, the U.S. Department of Defense pointed out the possibility that Russia secretly conducted low-yield nuclear tests. The Russian Foreign Ministry strongly rejected these claims as baseless accusations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.