U.S. News- In a move that could significantly alter global nuclear dynamics, President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) to prepare for the resumption of nuclear weapons testing. The directive calls for the U.S. to match the testing levels of Russia and China.
Justifying the order after his meeting with the Chinese President, Trump issued a statement. Following this directive, a report from the U.S. Congressional Research Service has indicated that a nuclear test could be conducted within the next 24 to 36 months.
Trump’s Justification for the Order
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, President Trump questioned, “If Russia and China can conduct nuclear tests, why can’t the United States?” He added, “America has the most nuclear weapons in the world, yet we will test because other countries are doing so.”
While the specifics are not yet finalized, Trump stated, “It hasn’t been decided when and where we will conduct the nuclear test, but we will soon finalize the site and time and announce the testing. The plan for a nuclear test was recently made, and the announcement was made as soon as the plan was formed.”
Reversing a Decades-Long Ban
The United States has observed a moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992, under former President George H.W. Bush. Prior to that, from 1945 to 1992, the U.S. had conducted 1,054 nuclear tests.
Both the U.S. and China have signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which aims to ban all nuclear explosions. However, the treaty has not yet entered into force internationally. The Trump administration’s decision is framed as a response to perceived testing by other nations, arguing that it places the U.S. at a disadvantage.
Geopolitical Context: A Response to Russia and China
The decision is reportedly a direct response to recent activities by geopolitical rivals. The article cites that Russia has tested new weapons like the Poseidon nuclear torpedo and the Burevestnik cruise missile, while China has been expanding its ICBM silos.
This move is expected to intensify the nuclear arms race among the U.S., Russia, and China, and could have broader implications for other nuclear-armed states like India and Pakistan.
The Last U.S. Nuclear Test
The United States’ last nuclear test, codenamed Divider, was conducted on September 23, 1992—33 years ago. It was an underground test at the Nevada National Security Site, detonated at a depth of 2,300 feet to contain radiation. The explosion was so powerful that it caused the surface above to lift and subside, vaporizing rock and creating a crater 150 meters wide and 10 meters deep.
