President Donald Trump suggested that the United States will resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in over 30 years, citing the need to keep pace with Russia and China.
BREAKING: President Trump announced the U.S. will immediately begin testing nuclear weapons "because of other countries testing programs." pic.twitter.com/hbkdQmF8hC
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 30, 2025
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said he had instructed the Department of War to begin testing “on an equal basis,” adding that the process would start immediately.
The White House has not clarified whether this means actual nuclear detonations, which the U.S. has avoided since 1992 under the global test ban.
The announcement marks a potential reversal of long-standing U.S. policy and raises concerns among arms control experts.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, criticized Trump’s statement, calling him “misinformed and out of touch.”
The U.S. currently conducts missile tests capable of carrying nuclear warheads but has refrained from live detonations for decades. The development could heighten tensions amid renewed global nuclear competition.
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