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Trump announced immediate US nuclear weapons testing after 33 years, citing China and Russia. Treasury Secretary stressed catching up with China in nuclear power
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (Photo: AFP file)
Hours after US President Donald Trump announced his decision to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in 33 years, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that it was important for America to “certainly catch up” with China.
“The US is lagging China in nuclear power development, but we can certainly catch up,” Bessent said during an interview on Fox Business’s Mornings with Maria. “It’s all hands on deck for nuclear power,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Trump announced that the United States will “immediately begin” testing nuclear weapons, citing similar actions by China and Russia.
The statement, made on his social media platform Truth Social, comes just hours before his high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea.
Trump said that, although he “hated” the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, he felt compelled to expand and maintain them because of growing competition from Russia and China. He said that since other countries were already conducting nuclear tests, he had instructed the US Department of Defense to begin nuclear testing “immediately” so that the US would not fall behind.
In his post, Trump wrote, “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.”
Trump announcement has triggered a dramatic escalation in Washington’s nuclear posture, breaking with decades of restraint under international test ban norms. The United States last conducted a full-scale nuclear weapons test in 1992, though it has since carried out subcritical experiments.
Speaking on Trump-Xi meeting, the Treasury Secretary said: “”Trump got China to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans this season”.
“Between now and January, the total will rise — and then for the next three years, they’re going to be buying a minimum of 25 million metric tons per annum,” he added.
United States of America (USA)
October 30, 2025, 23:12 IST
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