Trump Orders Pentagon to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing

President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons testing, aiming to keep pace with rival powers Russia and China, according to a report by the BBC.

Writing on social media on Wednesday, ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump said:

“Given the ongoing test programs of other countries, I have instructed the Department of Defense to begin our own nuclear weapons testing on equal footing.”

He claimed that the United States now has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, followed by Russia in second place and China, which he said is “far behind,” in third.

The U.S. has not conducted a nuclear test since 1992, when then-President George H. W. Bush suspended testing after the end of the Cold War.

In his recent post, Trump asserted that he had “updated and modernized” America’s nuclear arsenal during his first term, saying that despite acknowledging the “immense destructive power” of such weapons, he felt there was “no other choice.”

The decision marks a sharp departure from long-standing U.S. policy. Trump had criticized Russia earlier this month for testing a nuclear-powered missile, yet now appears to be following a similar path.

He also warned about China’s nuclear ambitions, writing that “China could reach parity within five years.”

Trump did not specify how or where the renewed testing would take place but said the “process would begin immediately.”

The last U.S. nuclear test took place on September 23, 1992, under the project named “Divider.” Conducted at an underground facility in Nevada, it was the 1,054th nuclear test in U.S. history. The Nevada Test Site remains under government control.