Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) gave backup to President Trump when asked about the president vowing to begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time since 1992.
“The commander in chief wants us to be fully prepared. We are the last great superpower on the earth. China intends to be a near peer-to-peer advisory to us. But in order to maintain peace around the world, you have to show strength, and that’s what the president believes in. That’s what he’s demonstrated over and over,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday morning.
“So the idea that he would make a public statement stating that he would want our nuclear arsenal to be fully prepared, it’s a deterrent, and that’s an important show of force for us,” Johnson said.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the Kremlin had resumed nuclear weapons testing and by Wednesday said they’d successfully tested both the nuclear-powered cruise missile and nuclear-powered underwater drone.
“I say, well, if they’re going to test, I guess we have to test,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday.
China has also doubled the size of its nuclear arsenal in the past five years, according to the Center for Strategic International Studies. The Department of Defense (DOD) estimates that China will have over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.
Of the world’s nine nuclear-armed countries, only North Korea has tested since 1998, according to a 2024 analysis by the Arms Control Association.
For decades, the U.S. has adhered to a global moratorium on nuclear testing for 33 years in an effort to deescalate international tensions after the Cold War maintaining only scientific testing and supercomputer simulations to make sure bombs are still intact.
Only the Nevada National Security Site is suitable for present day tests, Robert Peters, a senior research fellow for strategic deterrence at the Heritage Foundation, told NPR.
However, Johnson said Thursday there are members of the military from across the nation who are willing to contribute.
“I represent Barksdale Air Force Base in my district. It’s home to two-thirds of the nuclear triad and global strike command there. I can tell you, they are ready and they are on the ready, but we need to have that as a daily reminder and a daily process,” Johnson continued.
“And so, I’m glad that we have a president who understands the necessity of that. I think it sends a strong message to our adversaries around the world. And it’s an important time to do that,” he added.
Trump’s announcement Thursday has been met with criticism from peace organizations and advocates who say the resumption of nuclear testing will poorly impact the U.S.
“By foolishly announcing his intention resume nuclear testing, Trump will trigger strong public opposition in Nevada, from all U.S. allies, and it could trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by U.S. adversaries, and blow apart the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty,” Daryl Kimball, Director of Arms Control Association, wrote in a Thursday statement on X.
He said it would take at least 36 months to resume contained nuclear tests underground at the former test site in Nevada.
“Note: Trump’s post is not clear about whether he is talking about n-explosive testing (which the NNSA would do) or flight testing of n-capable missiles (which the DoD does). Trump’s policy is incoherent: calling for denuclearization talks one day; threatening n-tests the next,” he added in a follow up post.
