Key Takeaways
- Resuming Nuclear Tests After 30 Years: President Trump directed the Defense Department to restart nuclear weapons testing, ending a three-decade pause in explosive testing that began in 1992.
- Global Deterrence and Power Balance: The move comes amid escalating tensions with China and Russia, both of which have recently tested advanced nuclear systems. Trump says America must remain unmatched in deterrence capability.
- Peace Through Strength: Trump emphasized that while he “hated to do it,” testing is necessary to ensure U.S. nuclear readiness and maintain global stability — a hallmark of his “peace through strength” doctrine.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered the Defense Department to immediately begin testing U.S. nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with China and Russia, signaling a dramatic shift in America’s deterrence strategy as global tensions rise.
“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. 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 5 years.”
The announcement came just hours before Trump’s highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea—his first face-to-face since 2019. The president ignored questions about the move during the meeting, offering no public comment as reporters were escorted out.
The U.S. hasn’t conducted explosive nuclear tests since 1992, relying instead on advanced computer modeling to maintain its arsenal. But Trump’s team has long argued that deterrence must be backed by real-world testing. Former national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien wrote in 2024 that “Washington must test new nuclear weapons for reliability and safety in the real world… not just by using computer models.”
The move follows recent provocations from Russia, which claimed last week to have successfully tested a nuclear-capable cruise missile with a range of 8,700 miles, and an underwater nuclear drone with a compact reactor.
Trump condemned the Russian test as “inappropriate,” emphasizing that the Kremlin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine rather than posturing with new weapons. “You’ve got to get the war ended,” Trump said Monday. “We test missiles all the time. They’re not playing games with us, and we’re not playing games with them either.”
Trump’s directive reasserts America’s stance as a deterrence leader—making clear that peace is best preserved through strength.