Washington: Aboard Air Force One on Friday, President Donald Trump stated that the United States will resume nuclear testing if other countries carry out similar actions, signalling a firmer posture amid escalating global tensions.

“We're going to do some testing, yeah, and other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going to do it,” Trump told journalists travelling with him, in response to a question from AFP. The President did not specify what kind of testing he was referring to, leaving ambiguity over whether he meant subcritical experiments or actual underground nuclear detonations.

The remarks come as several nations, including Russia, China, and North Korea, face increasing scrutiny over their nuclear programs. Moscow has recently withdrawn ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), while Beijing continues to modernise its arsenal. North Korea, meanwhile, has conducted multiple missile tests in recent months.

The United States last performed an underground nuclear test in 1992 before joining the global moratorium. However, Washington has not ratified the CTBT, keeping open the legal option to resume testing under certain conditions. Defence analysts suggest Trump’s statement could be intended as a strategic warning to rivals rather than a concrete policy shift.

The White House has not yet issued an official clarification on whether any preparations for testing are underway.

With inputs from AFP