In a significant policy shift, former President Donald Trump has urged US military leaders to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing the need to keep pace with nations like Russia and China. Trump made the announcement via social media on October 29, just before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. He emphasized that the US, which possesses the largest nuclear arsenal globally, must modernize its capabilities to match advancements by other nations. Russia and China, he noted, are actively enhancing their nuclear programs, with China projected to make substantial progress within five years. Trump’s directive to the Department of War marks a departure from a decades-long moratorium on nuclear testing, last conducted in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush. The US’s Nevada Test Site, a key facility for past nuclear experiments, remains operational and could be reactivated if authorized. This move has sparked debate over its implications for global security and arms control agreements.
Trump directs nuclear weapons testing to resume for first time in over 30 years
