Washington, Nov 3 — In a wide-ranging interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, President Donald Trump said the United States has “enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times” and that he has raised the issue of denuclearisation in conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The comments come amid renewed U.S. steps to resume nuclear testing and a broader international debate about the future of arms control. CBS News+1
What Trump said
Asked about U.S. nuclear policy, Trump emphasised both U.S. superiority and the need to bring other nuclear powers to the table. “We have enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times,” he said in the interview transcript, adding that he discussed denuclearisation with leaders in Moscow and Beijing. The president framed his stance as seeking to reduce global nuclear risk — even as he justified moves to modernise and test U.S. systems. CBS News
White House action & reaction
In recent weeks Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare to resume nuclear testing and to “match” perceived moves by Russia and China — a policy shift that has drawn sharp criticism from arms-control advocates and some lawmakers. Critics warn that resuming explosive tests would further unravel post-Cold-War norms and fuel an arms race.
Beijing’s response
China quickly rejected the idea of trilateral talks led by Washington. Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman said it is “neither reasonable nor realistic” to expect China to join U.S.–Russia negotiations, noting that China’s nuclear arsenal is much smaller and that major reductions should start with the countries holding the largest stockpiles. The ministry reiterated China’s stated policy of maintaining a minimum deterrent.
Context: Who holds what?
Independent estimates show that, despite recent growth in several arsenals, the United States and Russia still possess roughly 80–90% of global warheads, while China’s stockpile is expanding faster than others. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and defence analysts estimate about 12,241 total warheads globally as of early 2025, with the U.S. and Russia together holding the bulk and China adding warheads at a rapid clip. That asymmetric distribution complicates calls for a three-way arms-reduction framework.
Why trilateral talks are hard
Arms-control experts note several obstacles to meaningful U.S.–Russia–China negotiations: verification and transparency, differing nuclear doctrines, and the sheer imbalance in arsenals. China has repeatedly refused to join U.S.–Russia frameworks unless the larger arsenals of the U.S. and Russia take the first steps toward reductions. Analysts say any lasting agreements would require new verification mechanisms and political trust that currently appear thin.
Global implications
Resumption of nuclear testing and rhetoric about nuclear parity risk undermining multilateral norms — including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which has still not entered into force. Increased testing and modernisation programs could push other states to accelerate their own programmes, raising proliferation and regional tension risks. Observers also warn of domestic political fallout in the U.S., as Congress and civil-society groups debate funding and legal limits.
