The United States is poised to resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in over three decades, according to an order from President Donald Trump. He cited alleged, but unverified, secret testing by Russia and China as the primary justification for the provocative move.
In a social media post, Trump announced the directive: “I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.” He added that he “hated” the decision but “had no choice” due to the actions of other nations.
During a subsequent CBS interview, Trump doubled down on his claims. “Russia’s testing, and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it,” he insisted, also naming North Korea and Pakistan. This assertion contradicts the general international understanding that only North Korea has conducted a nuclear detonation in recent decades.
China’s foreign ministry immediately pushed back, denying the claims entirely. A spokesperson asserted that China is a “responsible nuclear-weapons state” and has strictly “abided by its commitment to suspend nuclear testing.”
The ambiguity of Trump’s order has caused confusion. It remains unclear whether “testing” refers to full-scale nuclear explosions or other forms of weapons validation. The move comes shortly after Russia announced tests of its new Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile.