President Donald Trump has ordered the immediate resumption of U.S. nuclear weapons testing, marking the first such directive in 33 years and potentially triggering a new global arms race.
The command, issued just minutes before a crucial trade meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, aims to counter what Trump described as ongoing nuclear testing and arsenal expansion by other major powers.
Trump announced the decision via Truth Social while aboard Marine One en route to the meeting. He stated he had instructed the Department of Defense to begin testing.
“Because other countries continue to have nuclear weapons testing programs, I have therefore ordered the Department of War to commence testing at an equal level,” Trump posted. “This process will begin immediately. Russia is second, China is far behind, but will catch up within five years.”
It remains unclear if the order refers to actual explosive nuclear tests, typically overseen by the National Nuclear Security Administration, or missile tests capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The decision follows significant nuclear arsenal growth by both China and Russia. China has more than doubled its nuclear warheads in the past five years, increasing from an estimated 300 in 2020 to 600 in 2025, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Experts project China could possess over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.
Russia recently announced tests of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile and the “Poseidon” nuclear-powered torpedo. The Poseidon is designed to generate radioactive tsunamis capable of devastating coastal areas.
Earlier in the week, Trump had urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop testing missiles and instead end the war in Ukraine” while speaking from Air Force One.
Putin has publicly showcased Russia’s nuclear capabilities multiple times recently. These demonstrations included a Burevestnik missile test on October 21 and nuclear drills on October 22.
This latest directive represents the most substantial shift in U.S. nuclear policy in three decades. It could ignite a fresh arms competition among the world’s three leading nuclear powers.
Trump had previously proposed joint nuclear arms control negotiations with Russia and China in February. However, China rejected the idea, citing its significantly smaller nuclear arsenal compared to those of the United States and Russia.