BUSAN, South Korea — The world held its breath Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump made one of his most shocking announcements yet.
Just minutes before a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump ordered the Pentagon to immediately resume U.S. nuclear testing — a move that hasn’t happened in more than three decades.
The declaration came not from a press conference or a prepared speech, but from Trump’s own Truth Social post, written aboard his Marine One helicopter en route to Busan.
“Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear arsenal on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump wrote.
He added, “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years.”
A Message to the World — and to Rivals
The surprise announcement reverberated across diplomatic and military circles. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Trump meant full nuclear-explosive testing, which would break a global testing pause that’s lasted 33 years, or missile flight testing of nuclear-capable systems.
When reporters tried to press him for details, Trump offered no further explanation — instead walking straight into his meeting with Xi.
His decision comes amid growing nuclear competition between the world’s top powers.
In recent years, China has quietly doubled its nuclear arsenal, expanding from around 300 weapons in 2020 to nearly 600 in 2025, according to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The U.S. military now estimates that China could possess over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
A recent Victory Day parade in Beijing revealed five nuclear delivery systems capable of striking the continental United States.
Putin’s Shadow Looms Large
Trump’s order came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced new nuclear tests of his own — including a nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon super torpedo, said to be capable of creating radioactive ocean waves powerful enough to wipe out entire coastlines.
Earlier this week, Trump criticized Putin from aboard Air Force One, saying:
“He should be ending the war in Ukraine instead of testing missiles.”
But tensions have only escalated.
In late October, Russia conducted nuclear launch drills following the successful test of its Burevestnik missile, a move widely seen as a show of defiance toward the West.
The Return of the Nuclear Age
For the United States, the last nuclear test happened in 1992.
Since then, advancements have relied on computer simulations and inspections — not detonations.
Experts warn that a return to testing would mark a historic shift, signaling to rivals that the U.S. is ready to reassert its strategic dominance.
Such tests not only determine whether new designs work — they confirm if older stockpiles remain functional. But to many, it’s not just science — it’s a political statement.
A statement that says: America is back on the nuclear stage.
A High-Stakes Game Between Superpowers
Trump’s renewed posture mirrors his growing hardline stance on both Russia and China.
While he previously discussed nuclear arms control with Putin, and even hinted at including Xi in the talks, Beijing dismissed the idea, calling it “unrealistic” given its smaller arsenal.
Now, by restarting nuclear testing, Trump may be signaling that the era of restraint is over — and the race for nuclear superiority has begun once again.
As global leaders react and diplomats scramble, one thing is certain:
History has just shifted course — and the world is watching closely.
