Trump Orders Resumption of US Nuclear Weapons Testing After 33 Years
- President Donald Trump orders the resumption of US nuclear weapons testing after more than three decades of suspension
- The move reverses a 1992 moratorium first declared by former President George H.W. Bush at the end of the Cold War
- The directive comes as global nuclear tensions rise, with Russia and China advancing their own weapons programs
President Donald Trump has directed the United States military to resume nuclear weapons testing, ending a moratorium that has been in place since 1992.
The move, which he said is necessary to keep pace with Russia and China, signals a dramatic shift in American nuclear policy.
Source: Getty Images
Trump made the announcement on social media shortly before meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, BBC reported.
He wrote:
“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”
The president noted that the United States holds the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, followed by Russia and China, which he described as a “distant third.”
Reversal of decades-long US nuclear stance
The United States last conducted a nuclear weapons test in September 1992, before then-President George H.W. Bush declared a moratorium as the Cold War ended. Trump’s order effectively reverses that long-standing policy, one that successive administrations had maintained while pursuing international non-proliferation efforts.
The new directive comes just days after Russia reportedly tested a nuclear-powered missile said to have unlimited range.
Source: Getty Images
Trump also warned that China’s nuclear program “will be even within 5 years,” adding that he had “no choice” but to modernize the American arsenal.
Though the post did not specify how or where the tests would occur, Trump said the “process will begin immediately.” He later told reporters aboard Air Force One that specific sites for testing would be announced later but maintained it was “appropriate” for the US to match other countries in capability.
Global concerns over nuclear escalation
Russia recently claimed to have tested two new weapons systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads, including an underwater drone, Poseidon, that could strike the US west coast.
While these tests reportedly did not involve nuclear detonations, they have reignited fears of a renewed arms race among major powers.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China has doubled its nuclear stockpile over the last five years and could surpass 1,000 warheads by 2030.
The US currently possesses about 5,225 warheads, while Russia maintains roughly 5,580, according to the Arms Control Association.
Trump’s announcement comes just 100 days before the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Washington and Moscow. The treaty, signed in 2010, restricts each country to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads.
The United States last conducted a nuclear detonation at the Nevada Test Site in 1992 under the code name “Divider.” Experts say the facility, located 65 miles north of Las Vegas, remains operational and could be reactivated if authorized.
White House slams Nobel panel
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that White House reacted sharply to the outcome after former US President Donald Trump was once again overlooked for the prize.
Trump, who has publicly claimed credit for ending multiple wars, had been among the prominent names touted for consideration.
Responding to the announcement, White House communications director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel Committee of bias.
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