President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to “immediately” resume U.S. nuclear weapons testing, ending more than three decades of restraint. The announcement, posted on Truth Social, came as Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
Trump said the move was necessary to keep pace with China and Russia. “Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing on an equal basis,” he wrote.
Arms-control specialists say the U.S. has no technical or military need to conduct explosive tests. Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association warned the decision could “trigger a chain reaction” of testing by U.S. adversaries and alienate allies.
The U.S. stopped live nuclear testing in 1992 and signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty four years later. Breaking that moratorium could unravel decades of global restraint.
Some experts, including Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, believe Trump may mean low-yield or subcritical testing, not full-scale detonations. She said the move could be an attempt to gain leverage ahead of new arms-control talks with Moscow and Beijing.
Still, analysts note that restarting even limited testing would be logistically difficult. The National Nuclear Security Administration told Congress it would take years to prepare for underground tests at the Nevada Test Site.
Trump’s decision came days after Russia showcased new nuclear-capable weapons, including a cruise missile and a nuclear torpedo.
By announcing U.S. testing, Trump signals strength ahead of negotiations but risks sparking an arms race.
“The symbolism is powerful,” said one senior arms-control official. “Once the U.S. breaks the moratorium, everyone else gets permission to do the same.”
For now, the order appears to be more political than practical. Yet it marks a dramatic turn in U.S. nuclear policy — one that could undo decades of stability. America’s nuclear posture, once defined by restraint, now tilts toward competition.
