The Global Story - Is the world entering a new age of nuclear testing?
Download Is the world entering a new age of nuclear testing?
In the last 72 hours, comments from President Trump and his administration have sparked fresh debate about whether the US could – or should – resume the kind of nuclear weapons tests that were halted over 30 years ago.
The current debate centres on whether Trump plans to test nuclear delivery systems, such as missiles, or nuclear warheads. The latter would be a major reversal of a long-standing policy, as the US has not tested a nuclear warhead since 1992, but it’s unclear what the plans involve.
Today, Tristan speaks to Serhii Plokhy, a history professor at Harvard and author of The Nuclear Age, about what it would mean to return to an era of nuclear testing.
Producers: Viv Jones, Xandra Ellin, Aron Keller
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: Mushroom cloud rises during Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons test. Reuters
Published on Monday, 17th November 2025.
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