Rotating systems concern with torsional vibration, and it should be considered in vibration analysis. To do this, the time-dependent torsional vibrations in a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) under the linear and harmonic external torque, are investigated in this paper. Eringen's nonlocal elasticity theory is considered to demonstrate the nonlocality and constitutive relations. Hamilton's principle is established to derive the governing equation of motion and consequently related boundary conditions. An analytical method, called the Galerkin method, is utilized to discretize the driven differential equations. Linear and harmonic torsional loads, along with determined amplitude, are applied to the SWCNT as the external torques. SWCNT is considered under the clamped-clamped end supports. In free vibration, analysis of small scale effect reveals the capability of natural frequencies in different modes, and this results desirably are in coincidence with another study. The forced torsional vibration in the time domain, especially for carbon nanotubes, has not been done before in the previous works. The previous forced studies were devoted to the transverse vibrations. It should be emphasized that the dynamical analysis of torsion is novel, workable, and at the beginning of the path. The variations of nonlocal parameter, CNT's thickness, and the influence of excitation frequency on timedependent angular displacement and nondimensional angular displacement are investigated in the context.