Trump has alleged Pakistan is secretly conducting nuclear tests. Global monitoring agencies say no such activity has been detected. Here’s what we know so far.
Sseema Giill
US President Donald Trump has claimed Pakistan is secretly conducting underground nuclear tests, placing Islamabad in the same category as Russia, China and North Korea. The statement came during a 60 Minutes interview aired November 2, 2025, where Trump argued the United States must resume nuclear testing after a 33-year pause because major rivals are “testing deep underground.”
“Russia’s testing and China’s testing… North Korea’s been testing. Pakistan’s been testing,” Trump said, suggesting that some countries conduct nuclear tests “where people don’t know exactly what’s happening.”
The comments follow his decision last month to direct the Pentagon to prepare for renewed US nuclear testing — a move that would reverse long-standing American policy and reshape global arms-control norms.
Pakistan has not publicly responded to the claim.
However, global nuclear monitoring authorities directly contradict Trump’s assertion.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), which oversees the world’s nuclear test-monitoring network, confirmed as recently as October 30 that no nuclear tests by Pakistan — or any other state — have been detected.
The CTBTO operates more than 300 advanced monitoring stations that track seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radioactive particles. The system has historically detected every confirmed test by North Korea and recorded India and Pakistan’s nuclear tests in 1998.
Satellite imagery and seismic data used by analysts and research institutes worldwide also show no verifiable signs of Pakistani nuclear testing.
Trump’s remarks come six months after India and Pakistan experienced their most serious military standoff since 1999. The May 2025 confrontation saw limited strikes and military deployments before a ceasefire was reached.
Pakistan last tested nuclear weapons in May 1998. Since then, its strategy has centered on expanding its arsenal and developing battlefield nuclear systems — not conducting new explosive tests. Independent estimates suggest Pakistan now possesses around 170 warheads and could approach 200 by 2028 through plutonium production, not physical test detonations.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for preventing nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan during the May crisis — a claim rejected by New Delhi. Analysts say invoking Pakistan again allows Trump to reinforce his argument that nuclear competition is accelerating and that the US must match alleged adversary activity.
Asia security scholars note that Pakistan was not a focal point of recent nuclear dialogue between major global powers, making the mention surprising and significant for South Asia watchers.
Non-proliferation analysts describe the allegation as unverified and unsupported by available monitoring data, while acknowledging that deeply buried tests below certain yields can be harder to detect — a challenge increasingly discussed in nuclear verification research.
“If Pakistan had tested, we would likely know,” one senior arms-control researcher told BigStory. “No independent monitoring system shows activity consistent with nuclear detonations.”
Trump’s comment adds uncertainty to an already fragile global nuclear environment:
For South Asia, Trump’s statement arrives at a delicate moment, when regional tensions have cooled but distrust remains high.
There is no public evidence Pakistan has resumed nuclear testing.
The CTBTO — the world’s primary watchdog — reports none.
Trump’s claim, lacking verification, injects political pressure into an already tense strategic landscape — particularly in South Asia and among nuclear policy circles watching US testing decisions closely.
Whether this is a strategic warning, political signaling or misinterpretation remains unclear. What is clear: global nuclear trust is thin, and even unverified words now carry strategic weight.
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