IRIA News

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U.S. President Donald Trump issued orders for the Pentagon to restart testing nuclear weapons after more than three decades of suspension, signaling what analysts say is a direct message to rival powers Russia and China.

“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 posted on Truth Social. “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years.”

It remains unclear whether Trump’s directive refers to underground explosive nuclear tests, which fall under the purview of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, or to missile flight testing of nuclear-capable delivery systems.

None of the three major nuclear powers, China, Russia, and the U.S., has conducted explosive nuclear tests in nearly three decades. The last such event of nuclear explosive testing took place in North Korea in 2017.

The United States has not detonated a nuclear device since September 1992, when President George H.W. Bush declared a moratorium following the end of the Cold War. Russia’s last Soviet-era test occurred in 1990, while China’s last known test was in 1996.

.@SECWAR on nuclear testing:

“America will ensure that we have the strongest, most capable nuclear arsenal so that we maintain PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” pic.twitter.com/TboUAP1kpc

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) October 31, 2025

Russia and China React Cautiously

Russia responded to Trump’s statement with surprise, asserting that Russia has not conducted any nuclear weapon tests since the collapse of the Soviet Union. “President Trump mentioned in his statement that other countries are engaged in testing nuclear weapons. Until now, we didn’t know that anyone was testing,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who oversees the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, has repeatedly stated that Russia would only resume nuclear tests if another nation did so first.

In recent weeks, however, Russia has conducted several nuclear-related exercises, including the testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile on October 21, nuclear readiness drills on October 22, and an autonomous nuclear torpedo on October 28.

China has not conducted a live nuclear test since 1996, though U.S. intelligence reports have suggested that Beijing may be modernizing its testing facilities at Lop Nur.

Reviving Cold War-Era Fears

Trump’s sudden announcement has reignited memories of Cold War-era tensions. During that period, the world’s leading nuclear powers regularly detonated weapons underground and in the atmosphere, fueling global fears of nuclear escalation and mutual destruction.

The 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) aimed to end such tests, but the agreement never formally entered into force because several key countries, including the United States, failed to ratify it. Despite that, successive U.S. administrations, both Republican and Democratic, observed the treaty’s spirit by continuing the moratorium on live testing.

Trump’s order appears to upend that longstanding policy, rekindling debates within the U.S. national security establishment about whether renewed testing could strengthen deterrence or dangerously destabilize global arms control norms.

Costs and Feasibility Concerns

Experts warn that restarting explosive testing would be a complex and costly endeavor. The Nevada Test Site, the only facility capable of conducting underground nuclear tests, has not hosted a detonation since 1992. Reestablishing testing capabilities would require substantial technical preparation and financial investment.

Experts have estimated that even a single explosion test in the given situation of the testing sites would cost upwards of $100 million. The cost and escalation concerns have led many members of Trump’s administration to oppose the idea.

Brandon Williams, the official overseeing nuclear testing policy, said during his Senate confirmation hearing that he “would not advise testing” and preferred to rely on data from advanced computer simulations. “I think we should rely on the scientific information. But ultimately, that decision would be made above my pay grade,” Williams said.

Vice President JD Vance defended the move, telling reporters that it was important to ensure the nuclear arsenal remained reliable. “To be clear, we know that it does work properly,” Vance said, “but you’ve got to keep on top of it over time, and the president just wants to make sure that we do that.”

Strategic and Diplomatic Implications

Analysts say the decision could have far-reaching implications for global stability, particularly as arms control frameworks between Washington and Moscow have steadily eroded. The New START Treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms limitation pact between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire in 2026, and bilateral dialogue has been largely frozen since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Experts warn that resuming nuclear testing could prompt Russia or China to follow suit, shattering decades of restraint and potentially triggering a new arms race.

While Trump’s directive appears to mark a major policy shift, it remains unclear whether the U.S. military or the Department of Energy will proceed with a test in the near term. Any such move would likely face legal and logistical challenges, as well as opposition from Congress and international allies.

Nevertheless, Trump’s announcement has already injected fresh uncertainty into the global nuclear landscape, reviving debates that many thoughts had been buried with the Cold War.