Trump Hints U.S. to Resume Nuclear Weapons Testing — First Time in 30+ Years

On October 30, 2025, President Trump announced that he had instructed the U.S. military to “immediately” restart nuclear weapons testing so the United States can operate “on an equal basis” with Russia and China.

While he made the announcement on social media just before a summit with Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump was vague about specifics — he didn’t clarify whether the tests would involve actual nuclear detonations or just missile/explosive-system evaluations.

Under U.S. policy, the last full-scale nuclear explosive test was in 1992. The move would therefore mark the first time in more than 30 years that America considers breaking that de facto moratorium.

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Reactions & Risks — On All Sides

Critics and arms-control advocates warn that resuming nuclear tests could reignite a renewed arms race and destabilize decades of non-proliferation efforts.

Some international observers worry it could trigger retaliation from other nuclear powers. Indeed, after Trump’s announcement, officials in Moscow signalled that if the U.S. resumes testing, Russia might respond in kind.

On the domestic side, logistical and financial challenges exist: restarting full-scale testing would require reactivating test sites (e.g. the Nevada site used historically), and would reportedly take years and cost many millions.

Some U.S. officials have already sought to clarify that the “testing” Trump referred to may not involve detonations — but rather “system tests” or non-explosive evaluations of weapons components.