Trump Orders US to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing for First Time in 30 Years

US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades, a move he described as necessary to match the actions of Russia and China. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return from South Korea, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said it was now the “appropriate” time for the US to restart testing on an “equal basis” with other nuclear powers.

Ahead of the announcement, the President posted on Truth Social that the decision was prompted by the testing activities of 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 wrote. He emphasized that the US remains the world’s leading nuclear power, adding, “The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my first term in office.” While expressing reluctance, he added, “Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice. Russia is second, and China is a distant third but will be even within five years.”

The announcement came just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Moscow had successfully tested the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone. Speaking during a visit to a military hospital, Putin said the Poseidon trials were carried out from a submarine on Tuesday, declaring them a major success. “When it comes to speed and depth, there is nothing comparable to this unmanned vehicle anywhere in the world,” Putin said, adding that the drone’s nuclear power unit had been successfully activated. According to the Russian leader, the Poseidon’s capabilities surpass even those of Russia’s most advanced Sarmat intercontinental missile.

First unveiled in 2018, Poseidon is a massive, unmanned underwater vehicle reportedly measuring around 20 meters in length and weighing about 100 tons. Russian media claim it can travel at speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, dive deeper than 1,000 meters, and strike coastal regions with devastating radioactive waves. The recent test of the Poseidon followed Moscow’s successful launch of a Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile on October 21, and subsequent nuclear launch drills the following day, signaling a renewed push to showcase its nuclear capabilities.

Putin also recently signed a law terminating a long-defunct plutonium disposal agreement with the United States, which had been intended to limit the production of weapons-grade plutonium. The original deal, signed in 2000, required both nations to dispose of 34 tons of such material no longer needed for military use.

Trump’s decision marks the first time since 1992 that the United States has officially resumed nuclear testing. The last test, conducted at the Nevada Test Site, took place during the final months of the Cold War. Since then, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 but never ratified by the US Senate, has prohibited all nuclear explosions worldwide.

In 2023, Russia withdrew its ratification of the treaty, claiming the move was necessary to maintain parity with Washington. Moscow stated it would only resume nuclear tests if the United States did so first. Trump’s new order effectively meets that condition.

The announcement has sparked concerns among experts that the world may be entering a renewed nuclear arms race. Nuclear tests, beyond their scientific purpose of verifying the performance and reliability of weapons, also serve as a powerful geopolitical signal. Analysts note that resuming such tests would be seen by both Russia and China as a direct assertion of American strategic dominance.

During his remarks, Trump made clear that the US intends to stay ahead in nuclear capabilities. “Because of others, we have no choice but to act,” he said, reinforcing his position that the resumption of testing is not an escalation, but rather a response to the ongoing actions of rival powers. The move underscores a growing tension between Washington, Moscow, and Beijing over nuclear modernization, leaving many to question whether the world’s major powers are once again on the brink of an arms race unseen since the Cold War.