GYEONGJU, South Korea – President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he had ordered the Defense Department to “immediately” resume nuclear weapons testing.
“Because other countries are testing programs, I have directed the War Department to begin testing our nuclear weapons on a level playing field,” Trump said on Truth Social shortly before his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. “That process will begin immediately.”
The United States has voluntarily suspended testing of nuclear explosives since 1992. However, it has the ability to resume testing at the Nevada National Security Site.
During his first term, Trump sought to increase the US nuclear arsenal nearly tenfold, NBC News reported at the time.
Russia on Wednesday announced a test of a new long-range nuclear-powered submarine weapon and recently tested a nuclear-capable missile.
Trump, who has recently sharpened his rhetoric about American military capabilities, said the decision was about achieving parity with Moscow and Beijing.
“Russia is in second place and China is a distant third, but they will be tied in five years,” he said in his social media post.
He offered no response when reporters asked him about changing his nuclear testing plans.
During his trip to Asia, Trump has argued that showing American strength is a path to peace, using tariffs as leverage and showing American military power.
