Trump orders Pentagon to resume nuclear testing after 33 years
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to resume testing nuclear weapons "on an equal basis" with Russia and China. The announcement was made just before his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. "The US has more nuclear weapons than any other country," Trump wrote, naming Russia second and China "a distant third." "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons...That process will begin immediately," Trump said.
Policy change
Major shift in US nuclear policy
Trump's announcement marks a major shift in US nuclear policy, which has maintained a voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992. During his first term, the Trump administration had said it wouldn't conduct a nuclear weapons test "at this time." The last time any of the three major nuclear powers tested a nuclear weapon was in 1996 by China, while the United States and Russia conducted their last tests in 1992 and 1990, respectively.
Tests
They continue to develop and test systems
While the three world powers have not tested a nuclear weapon in decades, they continue to develop and test the systems to deliver nuclear warheads. In recent years, China has built at least three ballistic missile launch complexes, and in 2024, it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country had successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile this week.
Facilities update
Signs of resumption of nuclear testing by major powers
In 2023, CNN also reported that the US, Russia and China had built new facilities and dug new tunnels at their nuclear test sites, citing satellite imagery. Jeffrey Lewis from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies said there are signs that they may resume nuclear testing. Aside from the three, North Korea has also taken steps to strengthen its "nuclear combat posture" after testing cruise missiles earlier this week. It carried out the world's last nuclear test in 2017.