Trump Calls for Resumption of US Nuclear Weapons Testing

Thu Oct 30 2025 20:10:16 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a surprising move, President Trump has urged military leaders to restart nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, citing concerns over advancements by Russia and China.

President Donald Trump has ordered the US military to resume nuclear weapons testing, a significant shift from a policy in place for over 30 years. He argues that this is necessary to keep pace with other nations like Russia and China, which have been testing their own advanced weapons. The announcement has sparked debates about its implications for global security and relations with other countries. Experts express concern that resuming tests could trigger a new arms race. The last US nuclear test took place in 1992 at the Nevada Test Site.

President Donald Trump has called on US military leaders to resume testing US nuclear weapons in order to keep pace with other countries such as Russia and China.

Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis, he wrote on social media just before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

The US has more nuclear weapons than any other country, with Russia second and China a distant third. It has not conducted nuclear weapons testing since 1992.

Trump's announcement comes just days after he criticized Russia for testing a nuclear-powered missile. The nuclear test sites will be determined later, according to Trump.

Experts warn that this could trigger a new arms race, as no country has conducted a nuclear test explosion this century, apart from North Korea. Trump's statement marks a significant reversal of US policy since the Cold War.

Concerns have also been voiced regarding the implications of such tests on global stability and protest from various political leaders. Trump's administration has previously emphasized the catastrophic nature of nuclear weapons, fostering a complex dialogue on the future of nuclear arms.