President Trump Directs Resumption of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Testing After Three-Decade Hiatus

President Donald Trump has directed the Department of War to resume testing of U.S. nuclear weapons, marking the first such tests since 1992. The announcement was made on social media shortly before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

"Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump stated.

The United States has not conducted nuclear weapons tests since 1992, following a moratorium issued by former President George H.W. Bush at the end of the Cold War.

The specifics of the testing program, including locations and timelines, have not been disclosed. The White House and Pentagon have yet to provide further details.

This development comes amid heightened global nuclear activities. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced tests of new nuclear-capable weapons, including an underwater drone and a cruise missile.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear explosions worldwide. While signed by President Bill Clinton, the treaty has not been ratified by the U.S. Senate.

The Federation of American Scientists estimates that the U.S. possesses approximately 5,177 nuclear warheads, with Russia holding about 5,459. China is believed to have around 600 warheads.

The announcement has drawn criticism from arms control advocates. Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, stated that the U.S. has "no technical, military, or political justification for resuming nuclear explosive testing for the first time since 1992."

Representative Dina Titus of Nevada expressed opposition, indicating plans to introduce legislation to prevent the resumption of testing.

The last U.S. nuclear test occurred on September 23, 1992, at an underground facility in Nevada. The site remains under government control, and experts note that it would take at least 36 months to restart underground nuclear tests there.