Trump mulls first nuclear test since 1992

THE Trump administration is actively considering the possibility of conducting a nuclear test, something the US has not done since 1992.

The topic was broached at a May15 meeting of top officials from various national security agencies after some in the room accused China and Russia of conducting low-yield nuclear tests in secret, the Washington Post reported.

One official told the paper a nuclear demonstration was “very much an ongoing conversation” and might be useful for negotiations with the two counties as Washington seeks a comprehensive new deal to regulate nuclear stockpiles.

The US remains the only nation to use nuclear weapons during wartime, and conducted more than 1000 tests during the Cold War.

At first, the tests were often held on remote islands in the Pacific Ocean.

With the exception of North Korea, there has been a moratorium on nuclear weapons tests and some arms control experts worry that a US test could ignite a new era of testing around the world.

“It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit,” Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told the Washington Post.

The Trump administration’s 2021 budget includes almost $46 billion (R884bn) in additional spending on US nuclear weapons programmes, according to Defense News.

Meanwhile, the Nato envoys met on Friday to discuss the future of the Treaty on Open Skies after the US announced it would quit the 35-nation pact in six months.

The treaty allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries.

Nato also tried to convince Russia to return to full compliance with the treaty.