Jake Starkey
Verified User
President Trump wants the USA to start nuclear testing again.
I am not instantly opposed to the idea because there are powers that are nuclear armed and others that want to be, and some of them would attack us if they could do it without serious injury to themselves.
AI says this it what it would take. www.csis.org/analysis/can-united-states-immediately-return-nuclear-testing
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To restart U.S. nuclear explosive testing, the federal government would need to bypass or reinterpret existing treaties, secure funding and authorization from Congress, and overcome intense political, environmental, and public opposition.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what it would take:
Restarting nuclear testing would require:
I am not instantly opposed to the idea because there are powers that are nuclear armed and others that want to be, and some of them would attack us if they could do it without serious injury to themselves.
AI says this it what it would take. www.csis.org/analysis/can-united-states-immediately-return-nuclear-testing
"
To restart U.S. nuclear explosive testing, the federal government would need to bypass or reinterpret existing treaties, secure funding and authorization from Congress, and overcome intense political, environmental, and public opposition.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what it would take:
Legal and Treaty Constraints
- Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Signed by the U.S. in 1996 but never ratified. It bans all nuclear explosive testing.
- While not legally binding, the U.S. has observed the moratorium since 1992.
- Resuming testing would violate the spirit of the CTBT and provoke international backlash.
- Partial Test Ban Treaty (1963): Prohibits atmospheric, underwater, and outer space nuclear tests. Still in force and ratified by the U.S.
- Threshold Test Ban Treaty (1974): Limits underground tests to below 150 kilotons. Also ratified.
- Withdraw from or reinterpret these treaties
- Claim national security exemptions
- Conduct subcritical or very low-yield tests that technically don’t violate treaty thresholds
Congressional and Budgetary Requirements
- Congressional approval is essential for funding any test-related activities.
- The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) would need to:
- Prepare the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for testing
- Conduct environmental impact assessments
- Notify and coordinate with state and tribal governments
- Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) payouts and liabilities would likely surge, especially in states like Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.
Political and Public Resistance
- Strong bipartisan opposition exists, especially from Western senators like Jacky Rosen (NV), who vowed to block any explosive testing.
- Environmental and indigenous groups would mobilize against testing due to health and ecological risks.
- International allies and adversaries would likely respond with their own tests, escalating global tensions.
Technical Readiness
- The U.S. maintains a “science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program” that uses simulations and subcritical tests to ensure nuclear reliability without explosions.
- The Nevada test site could be reactivated, but it would take months to years to prepare for full-scale testing.
Summary
Restarting nuclear testing would require:- Executive direction (e.g., presidential order)
- Congressional funding and legal maneuvering
- Treaty reinterpretation or withdrawal
- Overcoming massive political, environmental, and diplomatic hurdles