President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he has instructed the Department of Defense to “immediately” resume testing nuclear weapons, marking the first U.S. return to live nuclear testing in more than three decades.
The announcement came on Truth Social, where 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 statement came just hours before Trump’s highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, suggesting the move could carry diplomatic and strategic significance as global nuclear tensions rise.
The United States has not conducted a nuclear explosive test since 1992, following a voluntary moratorium that has remained in place for over 30 years. Despite halting such tests, the U.S. retains the ability to resume them at the Nevada National Security Site, where the infrastructure remains intact for potential future testing.
During his first presidential term, Trump sought a nearly tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, a move that raised concerns among arms-control advocates. Wednesday’s order appears to signal a return to more assertive nuclear posturing, aligning with his broader “peace through strength” doctrine.
The announcement follows reports that Russia conducted a test of a new long-range nuclear-powered underwater weapon and recently launched a nuclear-capable missile, actions that have drawn international concern and fueled speculation of a renewed arms race.
While the Pentagon has yet to release operational details or a specific testing timeline, defense analysts say resuming nuclear tests could have major implications for global arms control treaties and U.S. relations with allied nations that support the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
“This decision could mark a turning point in U.S. nuclear policy,” said one security expert, noting that formal resumption of testing would challenge decades of international nonproliferation efforts.
The White House and Department of Defense have not yet commented beyond Trump’s statement.
For updates on this developing story, visit NBC News and the U.S. Department of Defense.
