While en route from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, President Donald Trump informed reporters that he has instructed the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in over three decades, referencing mounting concerns over nuclear advancements by other nations.
He explained that the decision was prompted by the actions of other countries, though he refrained from naming them directly. Trump emphasized that while the U.S. possesses the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and has long refrained from live testing, other nations’ active testing left him feeling it was appropriate for the U.S. to follow suit. Details of the planned tests, he said, would be shared at a later date.
In a post on Truth Social prior to his meeting with Xi, Trump justified his directive by pointing to nuclear weapons testing programs overseas, instructing the Department of War to start U.S. testing at a level comparable to that of other countries.
The announcement came soon after reports surfaced that Russia had successfully tested its Poseidon nuclear-powered torpedo. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the test as demonstrating the weapon’s operational readiness and technological capabilities.
The U.S. last conducted a live nuclear test in 1992, after which President George H.W. Bush instated a unilateral moratorium. The following years saw President Bill Clinton sign the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996, reinforcing Washington’s commitment to non-proliferation.
Trump has publicly stated that the U.S. maintains the largest nuclear arsenal in the world and voiced concerns that Russia and China could achieve parity within five years, an assertion disputed by independent monitoring groups.
Data from the Federation of American Scientists indicates that, as of 2025, Russia leads the world with an estimated 5,459 nuclear warheads, ahead of the U.S. at 5,177 and China with 600.
