US vice president defends nuclear arsenal testing as key to national security

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday defended the need for maintaining and testing the US' nuclear weapons arsenal, describing it as a vital component of national security.

"We have a big arsenal. Obviously, the Russians have a large nuclear arsenal. The Chinese have a large nuclear arsenal. Sometimes you've got to test it to make sure that it's functioning and working properly," Vance told reporters outside the White House.

His remarks came a day after President Donald Trump announced he instructed the Pentagon to "immediately" begin nuclear weapons tests "because of other countries' testing programs."

Vance underscored that the testing is not indicative of any immediate concerns but part of a broader regime of maintenance and verification that supports strategic stability.

"It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of the testing regime.

"To be clear, we know that it does work properly, but you got to keep on top of it over time, and the president just wants to make sure that we do that," he added.