President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he has directed the Department of War to begin nuclear weapons testing “on an equal basis” with other nations.
He cited threats from other countries and the need to maintain the U.S. nuclear edge.
“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office.
“Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice!”
He added that Russia is second and China a “distant third, but will be even within 5 years.”
“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” he wrote. “That process will begin immediately.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump did not specify the type or location of the tests, but his directive would mark the first full-yield U.S. nuclear test since the 1992 moratorium.
The U.S. has since relied on subcritical tests and computer simulations to certify its weapons — tools once described as part of “science-based stockpile stewardship.”
His remarks also trigger implications for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all nuclear explosions for military or civilian purposes. The U.S. signed it in 1996, but the Senate never ratified it.
If the U.S. resumes testing, analysts said it would threaten the global nonproliferation regime and could prompt other nations to follow suit.
“The United States has the most to lose from a multilateral resumption of nuclear testing,” one commentary warned.
In his first term, Trump oversaw a broad modernization of U.S. nuclear forces — including upgrades to missiles, warheads and plutonium-pit production — arguing that decades of neglect left the U.S. vulnerable.
Now his message is clear: The U.S. must signal strength through testing.
Analysts are already warning that this move could have far-reaching diplomatic costs. According to the Rand Corp., any resumption of full-yield testing could accelerate an arms race, especially as China and Russia expand their arsenals.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
