TRUMP ORDERS IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING, FIRST IN OVER THREE DECADES, AHEAD OF MEETING WITH CHINA’S XI JINPING

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global defense and diplomatic communities, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that he has directed the Department of Defense to “immediately” begin testing nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with other nations.

“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 declared in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, hours before his much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

The announcement marks a dramatic shift in U.S. nuclear policy. The United States last conducted a confirmed nuclear test in 1992, under President George H.W. Bush, who later declared a moratorium on underground nuclear testing. While the U.S. retains the technical capability to resume testing at its federal test site in Nevada, no administration since has ordered it.

Trump’s decision, however, appears to be a direct response to what he described as an imbalance between the U.S. and its geopolitical rivals, Russia and China.

“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump asserted, adding that “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years.”

According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Russia currently holds the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, with 5,449 weapons compared to 5,277 for the United States. Combined, both nations control nearly 90% of the world’s nuclear stockpile.

China’s last confirmed nuclear test was conducted in 1996, while Russia’s recent tests have involved delivery systems and nuclear-capable missiles rather than active nuclear detonations. On Wednesday, Russia also announced the successful trial of a long-range, nuclear-powered underwater weapon, an act seen by many as further escalating nuclear tensions.

NBC News reported that the White House has been asked to clarify whether Trump’s directive refers to the testing of nuclear-capable systems or actual nuclear detonations. So far, no official clarification has been issued, and Trump declined to answer questions on the matter.

During his first term, Trump was known for advocating a massive expansion of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, reportedly seeking a tenfold increase at one point.

Earlier this week, Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for testing a nuclear-powered cruise missile with “unlimited range,” calling it “inappropriate.”

“I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin.

“For Putin to be saying either, by the way, you ought to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its, soon, fourth year, that’s what you ought to do instead of testing missiles,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Monday.

Ironically, Trump’s latest move contradicts his previous stance on denuclearization, which he described earlier this year as “a big aim.”

“We can’t let nuclear weapons proliferate. We have to stop nuclear weapons,” he said during the summer, expressing optimism that both Russia and China would be “willing” to pursue arms reduction.

Beijing, however, swiftly dismissed those calls as “neither reasonable nor realistic.”

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China’s nuclear stockpile has grown rapidly, now estimated at 600 warheads, increasing by about 100 each year since 2023.

Trump’s surprise announcement has triggered immediate condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, particularly those representing Nevada, the state most likely to host any renewed nuclear testing.

“This directly contradicts the commitments I secured from Trump nominees and the opinion of Administration officials who certify our nuclear stockpile, who’ve told me explosive nuclear testing would not happen & is unnecessary. I’ll fight to stop this,” said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) on X (formerly Twitter).

Similarly, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) vowed to “introduce legislation to put a stop to this,” reaffirming her opposition to the resumption of nuclear detonations on U.S. soil.

In May, the Nevada Legislature had passed a resolution urging the federal government to maintain the moratorium on nuclear testing, citing environmental, health, and geopolitical risks.

Trump’s directive, if enacted, would end more than three decades of nuclear testing restraint by the United States, a move likely to unsettle international arms control frameworks and heighten global security anxieties.

Analysts warn that renewed U.S. testing could trigger a new nuclear arms race, reversing decades of disarmament efforts and undermining treaties like the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which, although never ratified by the U.S., has served as a global standard against testing.

As the world awaits official clarification from Washington, Trump’s declaration has reignited a debate at the heart of global security: is America seeking deterrence or dominance in the nuclear age?