Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to begin matching other nuclear powers’ weapons testing, explicitly naming Russia and China. In a post on Truth Social shortly before meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, he said he had directed what he called the “Department of War” to start testing U.S. nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” and that the process would begin immediately. Pentagon officials did not immediately comment.
The post came less than an hour before Trump and Xi held talks in Seoul — their first meeting since 2019 — intended in part to ease trade tensions. After the meeting, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he would like to see denuclearization and that the U.S. was “talking to Russia about that,” adding that China could be included in such efforts, without offering details.
The United States last conducted a full explosive nuclear test in 1992 (a device codenamed “Divider” at the Nevada test site), after which then‑president George H.W. Bush declared a moratorium on underground testing. Since the late 1990s only North Korea is confirmed to have carried out full explosive tests. Other nuclear-armed states, including the U.S., have relied on high-powered computer simulations, experiments in nuclear physics, tests of delivery systems, warhead component trials and subcritical experiments that do not produce a nuclear yield to maintain their arsenals.
China’s foreign ministry responded by urging the United States to honor the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty and to take actions that promote regional peace. A Chinese spokesperson reiterated Beijing’s stated commitment to peaceful development and defensive national security policies.
The announcement follows recent Russian statements about advanced weapons testing. Russian president Vladimir Putin said his country had tested the Burevestnik nuclear‑powered cruise missile and a Poseidon nuclear-capable torpedo; Moscow framed the trials as measures to ensure national security. Trump later described Putin’s public remarks about the tests as “not appropriate,” while Russian officials said they had notified the United States in advance of some trials.
Trump also repeated a claim that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country, a claim that contradicts independent estimates. Data compiled by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons indicates Russia possesses the largest arsenal, with more than 5,500 warheads, compared with roughly 5,044 for the United States.
The post provoked domestic pushback. Nevada congresswoman Dina Titus said she would introduce legislation to prevent a return to explosive testing. Observers note the announcement comes amid stalled arms‑control negotiations, renewed nuclear rhetoric, and debates over expanded missile defenses — developments that raise concerns among non‑proliferation advocates about a potential escalation in nuclear signaling and testing.
