Energy Secretary Wright says testing plans for nuclear weapons will not include nuclear explosions

Energy Secretary Chris Wright says President Trump's orders to test nuclear weapons will not include nuclear explosions.

“I think the tests we’re talking about right now are system tests," Wright told Fox News’ “Sunday Briefing. "These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions.”

He also said the planned testing involves “all the other parts of a nuclear weapon to make sure they deliver the appropriate geometry and they set up the nuclear explosion,” the Associated Press reported.

Last week, Trump said he had “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” but didn't clarify the type of tests.

While the military regularly tests its missiles that are capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, it has not detonated the weapons since 1992. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, besides North Korea.

Trump announced his plans for nuclear tests after Russia said that it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Russia responded to Trump’s comments by emphasizing that it did not test its nuclear weapons and has followed the global ban on nuclear testing.