United States President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the U.S. military to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons, ending a 33-year moratorium on explosive testing. The surprise announcement was made on Truth Social just minutes before he began a trade negotiating session with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea.
Trump stated he was instructing the Pentagon to test the U.S. nuclear arsenal on an “equal basis” with other nuclear powers.
“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump posted, adding, “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years.”
Rationale and Reactions
The decision comes amid a rapid expansion of China’s nuclear stockpile and recent announcements by Russia regarding successful tests of nuclear-capable missiles and torpedoes.
- China’s Expansion: Beijing has more than doubled the size of its arsenal to an estimated 600 nuclear weapons in 2025 from 300 weapons in 2020. U.S. military officials estimate China will possess over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.
- Russia’s Tests: Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced a successful test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile and a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo.
Later, on board Air Force One, Trump affirmed the need for testing, saying, “With others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also,” though he noted that nuclear test sites would be determined later.
Global Condemnation
The announcement drew swift international and domestic condemnation:
- China’s Foreign Ministry called for the U.S. to adhere to its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing and uphold global strategic stability.
- A senior Russian lawmaker said Trump’s decision would herald a new era of unpredictability and open confrontation.
- Representative Dina Titus (Democrat, Nevada) announced plans to introduce legislation to block the order.
- Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, called Trump’s decision “misinformed and out of touch,” warning it could “trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by U.S. adversaries, and blow apart the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”
The last U.S. nuclear-explosive test was conducted in 1992. No major nuclear power, other than North Korea, has carried out such explosive testing in more than 25 years. Experts are currently debating whether Trump’s order refers to explosive testing or merely flight testing of nuclear-capable missiles.
Source: Reuters
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