Trump Orders Resumption of US Nuclear Testing Amid Rising Tensions with Russia and China

US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons testing for the first time in more than three decades, a move that has sent shockwaves through global diplomatic circles.

The announcement came just before Trump’s high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea and only hours after Russian leader Vladimir Putin boasted of a successful test of a nuclear-powered underwater drone.

A Move That Defies Decades Of Restraint

In a post on social media, Trump said he had instructed the Department of War “to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis,” claiming the decision was necessary because “other countries are testing programs.”

The move effectively undermines the long-standing Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which the US signed in 1996 to prohibit all nuclear explosions. The United States has not conducted a nuclear test since September 1992, when a 20-kiloton explosion was triggered underground at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site.

Since then, every US administration both Republican and Democrat has maintained a moratorium on live nuclear testing, relying instead on advanced computer simulations and subcritical experiments to ensure the safety and reliability of its arsenal.

Trump’s announcement signals a sharp departure from that policy, reigniting fears of a new nuclear arms race.

Global Reaction: Shock, Concern, And Calls For Restraint

China was quick to issue a cautious but pointed response. “The United States should earnestly abide by the obligations of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty,” said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, urging Washington to “take concrete actions to safeguard global disarmament.”

Meanwhile, international watchdogs like the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) warned that renewed testing could unravel decades of progress toward non-proliferation. ICAN estimates that nine countries possess nuclear weapons, with Russia and the US together holding more than 10,000 warheads.

Public reaction online was divided. Some supporters of Trump’s decision hailed it as a strong defense move to “keep America safe,” while critics described it as “a reckless throwback to Cold War posturing.” On X, one user commented, “The world doesn’t need another nuclear test it needs leadership.”

Putin’s Provocation And Trump’s Timing

Trump’s order came just one day after Putin revealed Russia had tested the Poseidon a nuclear-capable underwater drone capable of carrying a warhead across continents and operating at speeds faster than conventional submarines.

The Russian president claimed the weapon was “impossible to intercept,” further escalating tensions with Washington.

Trump, who has repeatedly boasted that the US has “the most advanced nuclear weapons in the world,” seemed to interpret the Russian test as a direct challenge. “We haven’t tested for years,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “It’s appropriate to start again because others are testing.”

A Dangerous New Chapter

While Trump has framed the move as a matter of “strategic parity,” experts warn that it risks destabilizing already fragile global security frameworks.

Since the end of the Cold War, both the US and Russia have worked to reduce the scale of their nuclear testing programs even as their stockpiles remain massive. The sudden return to testing could unravel those diplomatic efforts, reignite tensions in the Pacific, and complicate ongoing disarmament talks.

“Restarting nuclear testing would be a step backward for humanity,” said one analyst from the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. “It reopens old wounds at a time when the world desperately needs stability.”

The Bigger Picture

Trump’s decision underscores how the race for nuclear dominance has re-emerged as a defining feature of global politics.

With China expanding its nuclear arsenal, Russia flexing its military muscle, and the US now threatening to test again, the delicate balance of deterrence that has held since the 1990s could be under serious strain.

As the world watches Washington’s next move, one question looms large: will this spark a new age of nuclear brinkmanship, or will cooler heads prevail before history repeats itself?

{Source:EWN}

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