Trump instructs the Pentagon to begin testing nuclear weapons.

Trump Directs Nuclear Testing to Match China and Russia

President Trump announced on Wednesday that he has instructed the Department of Defense to start testing U.S. nuclear weapons at a level comparable to that of China and Russia.

In a post, Trump noted, “The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other nation.” He highlighted that this achievement occurred during his administration, involving a complete overhaul and upgrade of existing stockpiles. Although he expressed reluctance due to the catastrophic potential of these weapons, he felt compelled to act, citing that while Russia holds second place and China lags behind, the gap could close within five years.

The Hill has contacted the Department of Defense for further details.

This announcement, shared on TruthSocial, came just before a scheduled in-person meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, marking their first meeting since 2019.

The last time the U.S. conducted nuclear tests was in 1992.

In June, Trump’s former national security adviser, Robert C. O’Brien, suggested that Trump consider nuclear testing if he wins the presidency in 2024. He argued that “Washington needs to test the reliability and safety of new nuclear weapons in real-world scenarios, not just through computer simulations.” O’Brien emphasized that if China and Russia continue to avoid genuine arms control discussions, the U.S. should resume production of uranium-235 and plutonium-239, essential isotopes for nuclear arms.

Recently, Russia conducted a test of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile, the Burevestnik, which it claims has an impressive range of 8,700 miles.

This testing drew widespread international criticism, including from Trump, who has urged Russia to engage in negotiations to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. “We have to end this war,” he said on Monday. “This war was supposed to last a week, but it’s nearing its fourth year.” He remarked that missile tests should not be the priority.

Trump further stated, “We’re testing missiles all the time. They’re not playing games with us, and we’re not playing games with them.”

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russia had successfully tested a new nuclear-powered underwater drone. He claimed that the drone’s nuclear reactor is “100 times smaller” than those used in submarines.