In a stunning announcement just before his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump said he has directed the Department of Defense to begin testing American nuclear weapons “immediately.” The move, he claimed, was in direct response to nuclear testing activities by rival nations.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared that the United States “has more nuclear weapons than any other country,” placing Russia second and China “a distant third — but will be even within five years.”
“Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately,” Trump wrote.
The former president, who frequently touts the modernization of US military capabilities during his first term, reiterated that the country’s nuclear arsenal had undergone a “complete update and renovation” under his leadership. “Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice,” he added, emphasizing that other nations’ actions had forced his hand.
If implemented, Trump’s directive would mark a seismic shift in long-standing US nuclear policy. The United States has maintained a voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing since 1992, according to the Library of Congress. That policy has stood as a cornerstone of international non-proliferation efforts for more than three decades.
Trump’s announcement comes as he travels to Busan, South Korea, where he is expected to meet with Xi Jinping. The timing of his statement — mere hours before the high-stakes diplomatic encounter — has raised eyebrows among global observers, many of whom are closely watching whether this signals a broader hardening of US nuclear posture.
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