President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing “immediately” to match programs in Russia and China, potentially ending a 33-year U.S. moratorium on explosive tests.
In a Truth Social post Thursday en route to a summit here, Trump said he instructed the “Department of War” to begin testing “on an equal basis” with Moscow and Beijing.
The announcement came hours before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid escalating trade tensions.
“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump wrote.
“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”
The U.S. has not conducted a full-scale nuclear detonation since 1992. Russia denies recent explosive tests but confirmed nuclear-powered missile and torpedo trials this month.
China’s arsenal has grown from 300 to 600 warheads since 2020, Pentagon reports say.
Experts estimate 18 to 36 months to prepare Nevada test sites. The Kremlin condemned the move as “reckless.” White House officials declined comment. Trump also approved U.S. support for South Korea’s nuclear submarine program during the Asia trip.