Trump directs Pentagon to ‘immediately’ start testing US nuclear weapons
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Defense to begin testing nuclear weapons at levels comparable to those of China and Russia.
In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, 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. That process will begin immediately.”
The announcement came less than an hour before Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday morning in an effort to reach a truce in the ongoing trade war. This meeting will mark the first face-to-face discussion between the two leaders since 2019.
Trump’s post follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent claims that Russia successfully tested its “unique” nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile on Sunday, described by the Kremlin as a measure to safeguard national security. Trump called Putin’s announcement “not appropriate,” while a Russian official stated that Moscow had informed the U.S. about the test in advance.
The timing of Russia’s Burevestnik test comes amid heightened nuclear rhetoric from the Kremlin and a stall in U.S.-Russia negotiations over the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, Putin also said Russia tested a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo, which military analysts warn could devastate coastal regions through massive radioactive ocean waves, according to Reuters.
In his Truth Social post, Trump inaccurately claimed that the U.S. has more nuclear weapons than any other country. In fact, Russia holds the largest confirmed stockpile, with over 5,500 warheads, while the U.S. maintains 5,044, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
The U.S. last conducted a nuclear test, codenamed “Divider,” on September 23, 1992, at what is now the Nevada National Security Site. Later that year, President George H.W. Bush announced a moratorium on underground nuclear testing, though the U.S. retains the capability to resume tests at the site.
Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus responded to Trump’s post on X, writing: “Absolutely not. I’ll be introducing legislation to put a stop to this.”
Despite repeated statements from both Washington and Moscow expressing interest in halting the arms race, little progress has been made. The Kremlin recently criticized Trump’s push for a missile defense system known as the “Golden Dome,” which he claims would make the U.S. impervious to attack.
During his first term, Trump reportedly aimed to increase the U.S. nuclear arsenal “tenfold,” according to NBC News. In December 2016, he tweeted: “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.”
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