Editor’s Note: The headline of this story has been updated to include the missing words from Trump's quote.
President Donald Trump has directed the Defense Department to resume full-scale nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, signaling a major shift in U.S. defense policy aimed at keeping pace with Russia and China's expanding arsenals.
Trump Says US Must Test On Equal Basis With China And Russia
Trump announced the decision on Wednesday on Truth Social, saying the U.S. must test nuclear weapons on an equal basis to China and Russia.
He said that America already possesses the world's largest and most advanced nuclear stockpile, upgraded during his first term.
"The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country," Trump wrote.
"This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years."
The announcement came hours before Trump's scheduled meeting in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their first in-person encounter since 2019.
Reporters pressed Trump about the decision during the bilateral meeting, but he declined to comment, reported The Hill.
Former Adviser Urged Trump To Resume Nuclear Tests
Former national security adviser Robert C. O'Brien had previously urged Trump to restore testing, arguing that "Washington must test new nuclear weapons for reliability and safety in the real world.”
Putin Flaunts Nuclear Tests As China Stages Bomber Drills Before Trump-Xi Talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had successfully tested its Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone and Burevestnik nuclear cruise missile, reported AP News.
He claimed that both weapons were unmatched in speed, range and evasion, serving as a warning to the U.S.
He said Poseidon's reactor was "100 times smaller" than those on submarines and impossible to intercept, while the Burevestnik flew 8,680 miles using nuclear propulsion.
The statement came shortly after President Trump ordered the U.S. to resume nuclear testing, signaling renewed nuclear brinkmanship between Washington and Moscow.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media reported that H-6K bombers and J-10 fighters conducted simulated confrontation drills near Taiwan just days before Trump's scheduled meeting with Xi Jinping in South Korea.
Beijing said the exercises were intended to defend national sovereignty and "safeguard the peace and happiness of hundreds of millions of people," underscoring heightened military tensions on multiple fronts ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.
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