US not planning nuclear explosions in upcoming system tests, energy secretary says
Photo: US Energy Secretary Chris Wright (Getty Images)
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said nuclear weapons tests will not include warhead detonations for now, Bloomberg reports.
"I think the tests we're talking about right now are system tests. These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions," Wright said.
According to Wright, the tests involve "all the other parts of a nuclear weapon" to ensure they "deliver the appropriate geometry and they set up the nuclear explosion."
He also responded to a question about whether residents living near the US military nuclear test site in Nevada should "expect to see a mushroom cloud at some point." Wright emphasized, "No, no worries about that."
Notably, the United States has not conducted nuclear weapons detonations since 1992, when President George H.W. Bush declared a moratorium.
US nuclear tests
On October 30, President Donald Trump said the country is resuming nuclear tests. He later explained the decision was made because "other countries seem to all do nuclear testing." Trump stressed that the US possesses the largest nuclear arsenal, but testing had been halted many years ago.
The decision came after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed allegedly successful tests of the latest Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear submarine drone.
In response, Trump said Putin should not be testing missiles but should instead end the war against Ukraine.
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said the decision to resume nuclear testing would make nuclear conflict less likely.
