President Donald Trump issued a directive on Thursday, October 30, 2025, instructing the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing. This marks a significant change in American defense policy after a 33-year hiatus. The announcement was made shortly before Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for trade talks in Busan, South Korea.
While aboard Marine One en route to his meeting with the Chinese leader, Trump made the unexpected announcement via Truth Social. “Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump posted on the social media platform.
The president cited testing programs by rival nuclear powers as motivation for his decision, specifically mentioning concerns over Russia’s second-place nuclear capabilities and China’s rapidly expanding arsenal. Trump pointed out that China, currently ranked third, is expected to reach parity with the leading nuclear powers within five years.
On his return flight to Washington aboard Air Force One, Trump provided further details on his decision. He stated that testing is necessary to ensure the United States maintains its standing among nuclear powers. Addressing concerns about global risks, Trump assured that U.S. nuclear stockpiles are well secured. He also expressed interest in pursuing denuclearization talks, mentioning ongoing discussions with Russia that could potentially include China.
The timing of Trump’s announcement aligns with heightened nuclear tensions involving Russia. On Wednesday, October 29, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s successful test of a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo, described by military analysts as capable of devastating coastal areas with massive radioactive ocean surges. Earlier in October, Putin conducted tests of the Burevestnik cruise missile and nuclear launch drills.
Trump’s directive follows significant growth in China’s nuclear capabilities. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Beijing has more than doubled its arsenal from an estimated 300 nuclear weapons in 2020 to approximately 600 in 2025. U.S. military officials expect China to possess over 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. During a September parade, China revealed five nuclear capabilities that could reach the continental United States.
The United States currently holds 5,225 nuclear warheads, while Russia possesses 5,580, as reported by the Arms Control Association. The last U.S. nuclear test occurred in 1992, with most major nuclear powers, except North Korea, ceasing explosive nuclear testing in the 1990s. Russia’s last confirmed test was in 1990, followed by the final U.S. test in 1992 and China’s in 1996. North Korea’s most recent nuclear test took place in 2017.
Details of Trump’s directive remain unclear. The announcement did not specify whether it pertains to nuclear-explosive testing, which would involve the National Nuclear Security Administration, or flight testing of nuclear-capable missiles. The president indicated that specific nuclear test sites would be determined later.
The announcement met with immediate opposition. Nevada Democrat Representative Dina Titus stated on X that she would introduce legislation to halt the testing program. Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, estimated that it would take at least 36 months for the United States to resume underground nuclear tests at the former Nevada test site.
Kimball criticized Trump’s decision as misinformed, arguing that there is no technical, military, or political justification for resuming nuclear explosive testing. He warned that the move could prompt a wave of nuclear testing by U.S. adversaries and potentially undermine the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Experts note that beyond data collection, such testing would serve as a display of U.S. strategic power to Russia and China. Putin has stated that Russia would resume testing if the United States does.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly warned that the current nuclear threat is already dangerously high and has called on nations to refrain from any actions that could lead to misjudgment or escalation with potentially catastrophic results, according to deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Haq noted that Guterres has emphasized the importance of remembering the devastating legacy of more than 2,000 nuclear tests conducted over the past 80 years, stressing that nuclear testing must never be allowed under any circumstances.
In previous discussions with Putin, Trump expressed interest in including China in nuclear arms control talks. Beijing has responded that participating in such negotiations with the two larger nuclear powers is unrealistic due to its comparatively smaller arsenal. In February, Trump proposed discussions with both Putin and Xi to explore potential limits on nuclear arsenals.
The United States entered the nuclear era in July 1945 with a 20-kiloton atomic bomb test in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Subsequently, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, leading to Japan’s surrender in World War II.
