Trump revives US nuclear testing after 30 years as China closes in on superpower status

In a dramatic escalation of global nuclear tensions, US President Donald Trump has ordered an immediate resumption of nuclear weapons testing — the first in over three decades — marking a historic reversal of America’s post-Cold War policy.

The directive, issued just days before Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, signals a full-scale revival of the US nuclear programme. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump warned that China, currently “a distant third” in nuclear capability, would “be even within five years.”

“The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my first term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice,” Trump wrote.

He added, “Russia is second, and China is 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.”

A return to an era of tests and tensions

The United States last conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush, who halted testing following the Cold War’s end. That moratorium has stood for more than 30 years — until now.

Trump’s decision overturns a foundational pillar of global nuclear restraint, threatening to unravel decades of painstaking disarmament efforts and potentially spurring rival powers to restart their own testing programs.

The global nuclear order

According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the nations currently possessing nuclear stockpiles are the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea.

Russia leads with approximately 5,500 warheads, followed closely by the United States with 5,044. The US stores nuclear weapons both domestically and across five allied nations — Turkey, Italy, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.

China, with around 600 warheads, ranks third but is rapidly expanding its arsenal. France and the UK follow with 290 and 225 warheads respectively, while India and Pakistan maintain near-parity at 180 and 172. Israel and North Korea round out the list with smaller, though significant, capabilities.

The treaty Trump is defying

The United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) — adopted in 2017 and in force since 2021 — bans all development, testing, and possession of nuclear arms. Supported by 122 nations, the treaty is the first comprehensive international effort toward nuclear disarmament.

Its core declaration forbids any participation in nuclear weapon activities, including testing or assisting states that engage in such actions.

Trump’s decision effectively defies the spirit of that treaty — and places the US at the center of a renewed arms race that could reshape global security for years to come.