In a significant move announced on Wednesday, President Trump has directed the Department of Defense to commence testing U.S. nuclear weapons on par with China and Russia. This decision marks a pivotal shift in the nation’s defense strategy.

“The United States possesses more nuclear weapons than any other nation,” Trump stated. “This achievement, which included a comprehensive update and refurbishment of existing arsenals, was completed during my first term. Despite the immense destructive capability, I was reluctant to proceed, but had no alternative! Russia holds the second position, while China is a distant third, but could catch up in the next five years.”

The Hill has reached out to the Pentagon for their perspective on this development.

Trump’s announcement was made on TruthSocial and came just ahead of his anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. This encounter marks their first face-to-face discussion since 2019.

During a meeting with Xi and the Chinese delegation, Trump sidestepped a journalist’s inquiry about the nuclear testing decision, shortly before reporters were ushered out of the session.

It’s important to note that the United States has not conducted explosive nuclear tests since 1992, making this announcement particularly noteworthy in the context of global nuclear disarmament efforts.

Former Trump’s national security advisor, Robert C. O’Brien, encouraged Trump, a presidential candidate, in June last year to test nuclear weapons if he wins the 2024 White House election.  

“Washington must test new nuclear weapons for reliability and safety in the real world for the first time since 1992—not just by using computer models,” O’Brien wrote in an article for the Foreign Affairs magazine, which was published in June last year. “If China and Russia continue to refuse to engage in good-faith arms control talks, the United States should also resume production of uranium-235 and plutonium-239, the primary fissile isotopes of nuclear weapons.”  

Russia claimed it tested its new nuclear-capable cruise missile, known as the Burevestnik, last week, which purportedly flew 8,700 miles.

The test was met with international condemnation, including from Trump, who called it “inappropriate” as he is pushing the Kremlin to come to the table and negotiate a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.  

“You’ve got to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its soon fourth year,” the president said on Monday. “That’s what you ought to do, instead of testing missiles.” 

“We test missiles all the time. They’re not playing games with us, and we’re not playing games with them either,” Trump added.  

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow successfully tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone. The test was conducted on Tuesday, with Putin claiming the nuclear reactor that powers the Poseidon drone is “100 times smaller” than those on submarines.  

Updated at 10:27 p.m. EDT