Trump Orders Resumption of US Nuclear Tests

US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing, marking the first such move since 1992.

The decision comes in response to what the administration described as recent nuclear-related activities by Russia and China.

The announcement was made on Wednesday via Trump’s Truth Social platform, just hours before his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Busan, South Korea.

Independent estimates suggest that Russia currently holds the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, with about 5,459 warheads, slightly more than the United States, which has about 5,177. No nation other than North Korea has conducted large-scale nuclear tests since the early 1990s.

The decision to restart nuclear testing effectively ends a voluntary moratorium that both Washington and Moscow have largely observed for more than three decades. The move is expected to draw sharp international criticism, as it could heighten tensions with Russia and China and raise concerns about a renewed global arms race.

Analysts say the order represents a significant shift in US defense policy, signaling Trump’s intent to reassert America’s strategic dominance amid growing geopolitical competition.

If carried out, the tests would likely take place at the Nevada National Security Site, where the United States last conducted underground nuclear detonations before the moratorium began.

The decision underscores Washington’s increasingly assertive stance toward rival nuclear powers as it reassesses global deterrence strategies.