Washington, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Defense Department to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing, marking the first such order in more than three decades.
The announcement came hours before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump said the move was a response to continued testing by other nations.
“As other countries continue nuclear testing, I have directed the Department of Defense to begin ours immediately to maintain a level playing field,” Trump wrote. Trump claimed the United States remains the global leader in nuclear capability, followed by Russia and China, and predicted that all three nations could reach similar capability levels within five years.
Russia’s Recent Tests and Strategic Implications
The directive followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a successful test of Poseidon, a nuclear-powered super torpedo capable of causing large-scale radioactive tsunamis. Putin also confirmed earlier tests of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and conducted a nuclear launch exercise this month.
Defense analysts say the U.S. decision carries both strategic and technical significance. It enables American scientists to verify the reliability of existing warheads and develop new-generation systems, while also signaling strength amid rising competition with Russia and China.
The United States last conducted a full-scale nuclear test in 1992 under the “Divider” experiment in Nevada. Since then, it has relied on simulations and subcritical tests under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban framework.
America’s first nuclear test occurred in July 1945 at Alamogordo, New Mexico, marking the start of the atomic age. Weeks later, bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II and reshaped global security.
Trump’s latest order has renewed global debate over nuclear deterrence and arms control. Analysts warn that renewed testing could undermine decades of non-proliferation progress and intensify geopolitical rivalry.
During the trade talks with Xi in South Korea, a journalist asked Trump about the testing directive, The New York Times reported. Trump declined to answer.
