Vice Adm. Correll clarifies presidential statement, emphasizing existing robust testing program and readiness of US nuclear forces.
Vice Adm. Richard Correll, the Trump administration’s nominee to head US Strategic Command, today told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he is „absolutely confident” in the reliability of the nation’s nuclear arsenal — a fact that STRATCOM last certified in January.
His remarks come in the wake of a surprise announcement by President Donald Trump Wednesday night just prior to his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, that he has ordered the Defense Department to resume nuclear weapons testing.
„Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Interpreting Trump’s Directive: Not Necessarily Explosive Testing
Correll, however, cautioned that the announcement may not actually refer to a test involving detonating a nuclear warhead.
„[I] wouldn’t presume that the president’s words meant nuclear testing,” he said in response to questions from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, as well as a number of other Democrats, about the possibility of a tit-for-tat response from other nuclear-armed countries, especially Russia and China.
„I believe the quote was, ‘start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis’. Neither China or Russia has conducted a nuclear explosive test, so I’m not reading anything into it or reading anything out,” he said.
Correll added that, with the exception of North Korea, no nation has conducted explosive nuclear testing this century. The US has not blown up a nuclear warhead above ground since ratifying the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty.
Pressed by several Republicans, Correll maintained that the current US testing program is robust and confirmed his faith in the readiness of the nuclear arsenal.
Existing Nuclear Testing Program and Oversight
Nuclear weapons testing is led by the Energy Department’s semi-independent National Nuclear Security Administration under the „Stockpile Stewardship” program, and includes component testing, modeling and simulation as well as subcritical testing of nuclear materials at the Nevada site.
Further, the directors of the DoE’s three nuclear weapons laboratories and STRATCOM each year provide a classified report to the president to certify the safety and reliability of the nations nuclear stockpile. The last such report was sent to Trump in January.
Confusion and Speculation Regarding Trump’s Intent
Noting the widespread confusion engendered by Trump’s announcement, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, speculated that Trump may have been referring to testing of nuclear delivery systems rather than explosive tests — give the fact that it came only days after Russia announced a successful test of the nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile Burevestnik.
Correll, in response, was quick to answer that he has no „insight into the president’s intent,” but agreed „that that could be an interpretation.”
Jon Wolfsthal, a former special assistant on nuclear issues to President Barack Obama, noted that there „have been allegations for many years that Russia is conducting secret, very low level testing, but it’s never been proven” nor even acknowledged by the US government.
For his part, Correll was quick to stress that if confirmed he of course would support Trump’s policy mandate — whatever it includes.
„If confirmed as the STRATCOM Commander, I would continue to look to support the President’s directives and work with this committee in a very transparent way on on the way ahead,” he said.
