In a significant shift from decades of U.S. nuclear policy, President Donald Trump announced that he has instructed the Pentagon to resume testing nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with Russia and China. The move comes on the eve of his high‑stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, where trade and security issues will dominate the agenda.
Trump announced in a post on his social media platform, stating: “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.” Notably, the U.S. has not conducted an official nuclear‑weapons test since 1992.
The timing is laden with geopolitical implications. Recently, Russia disclosed successful trials of advanced nuclear systems, including the Poseidon nuclear‑powered torpedo and the Burevestnik cruise missile. U.S. officials say Trump’s directive aims to counter these developments and reinforce deterrence.
However, the move immediately drew criticism at home and abroad. Analysts warn that renewing nuclear tests could undermine decades of arms‑control efforts and potentially trigger a fresh nuclear arms race. Despite the president’s framing of the policy shift as necessary, questions remain about the technical, legal and diplomatic steps required—and about whether Congress will push back.
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