US Isolated at UN Over Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Vote

CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd addressing staff, Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria, 2023.

The United States took another step back from global consensus when it voted against a UN draft resolution calling for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The negative vote came shortly after President Donald Trump announced plans to resume nuclear testing after a 33-year hiatus. The US stood alone in opposing the resolution, which received overwhelming support from the UN General Assembly’s First Committee — 168 votes in favour, one against (United States), and three abstentions (India, Mauritius, and Syria).

During Trump’s first term, the US had abstained on the same vote, and in previous years had supported it.

Jackie Cabasso, Executive Director of the Western States Legal Foundation, which monitors US nuclear weapons policy, said the confusion began with Trump’s misleading social media post: “Because of other countries’ testing programmes, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.”

Cabasso noted that Russia and China are not conducting explosive nuclear tests, meaning the US has no justification for such actions. She added that while both nations conduct missile tests, so does the United States. On November 5, the US carried out a “routine” test of an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile.

Trump’s remarks led to mixed signals from his administration. On November 2, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News, “The tests we’re talking about right now are system tests — not nuclear explosions.”

Meanwhile, Trump alleged in an interview with 60 Minutes that Russia and China were secretly conducting underground nuclear tests, though he provided no evidence.

In explaining its vote, the US said: “The United States voted No because several paragraphs are inconsistent with US policy or are under policy review. The United States is not currently pursuing CTBT ratification and therefore cannot support calls for ratification and entry into force.”

Other nuclear-armed states — including Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Pakistan — voted in favour. India abstained, and North Korea did not vote.

Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute, criticised the US position, saying that resuming nuclear testing would violate commitments made under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and increase global instability.

He urged world leaders to prioritise human security, reduce corruption, and prevent the creation of new and more dangerous weapons.

Cabasso pointed out that under the 1980 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, a state that has signed a treaty must refrain from actions that defeat its purpose. The US, Russia, and China have signed but not ratified the CTBT. Russia withdrew its ratification in 2023 to maintain parity with Washington.

Following the US vote, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to consider preparing for nuclear testing. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “We will decide based on our understanding of US intentions.”

Cabasso stressed that the US should reverse course, commit to a permanent halt to nuclear explosive testing, ratify the CTBT, and encourage others to do the same — a move that would significantly strengthen global peace and security.

The Washington-based Arms Control Association (ACA) warned that if the US resumes nuclear testing, other countries — such as Russia, North Korea, and possibly China — may follow suit, escalating the nuclear arms race.

In response to Trump’s stance, Representative Dina Titus (Democrat–Nevada) introduced the RESTRAIN Act to prohibit funding for explosive nuclear tests, while Senator Ed Markey (Democrat–Massachusetts) introduced the No Nuclear Testing Act in the Senate to block any renewed testing and urged the Senate to ratify the CTBT.

The ACA called on citizens to pressure lawmakers to oppose nuclear testing and to support both acts, noting it has long led international efforts to prevent nuclear weapons testing.