Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the Department of Defense is moving "quickly" to implement President Donald Trump's directive to resume nuclear-weapons testing.
Hegseth told reporters during a meeting with the ASEAN Secretary-General in Washington that the directive is a necessary step to ensure America maintains the "strongest, most capable nuclear arsenal" in the world.
Trump issued the order Wednesday night, instructing the Pentagon to immediately begin nuclear-weapons tests "on an equal basis" with Russia and China.
Hegseth said the testing would be conducted in coordination with the Department of Energy and its offshoot, the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the safety, security and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
"This is the baseline of our deterrence," Hegseth said. "Having understanding and resuming testing is a pretty responsible, very responsible, way to do that. We're moving out quickly, and America will ensure that we have the strongest, most capable nuclear arsenal, so that we maintain peace through strength."
He added that the U.S. does not seek conflict with China, Russia or any other state, but argued that a stronger arsenal and stronger alliances make conflict less likely.
The announcement marks a major reversal of U.S. policy. The U.S. has observed a voluntary moratorium on explosive nuclear-weapons testing since its last full-scale test, conducted Sept. 23, 1992. The moratorium was established through a unilateral Congressional act and reinforced by treaty efforts.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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