President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, matching Russian and Chinese programs. The directive arrived on Wednesday through Trump's Truth Social account hours before his scheduled Thursday meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
America's last full nuclear test occurred in 1992 under President George Bush, who imposed a testing moratorium that year. Russia and China have not conducted confirmed full tests since that period, though Russian President Vladimir Putin announced successful trials of the Burevestnik cruise missile and Poseidon torpedo this week.
Trump claimed America possesses more nuclear warheads than any nation, contradicting international records showing Russia leads with over 5,500 weapons against America's 5,044 stockpile. Nevada Representative Dina Titus pledged legislation blocking the testing plans at the Nevada National Security Site.
The directive revives Trump's earlier nuclear expansion ambitions from his first term, when he pushed for tenfold arsenal growth despite arms control discussions between Moscow and Washington.
America's last full nuclear test occurred in 1992 under President George Bush, who imposed a testing moratorium that year. Russia and China have not conducted confirmed full tests since that period, though Russian President Vladimir Putin announced successful trials of the Burevestnik cruise missile and Poseidon torpedo this week.
Trump claimed America possesses more nuclear warheads than any nation, contradicting international records showing Russia leads with over 5,500 weapons against America's 5,044 stockpile. Nevada Representative Dina Titus pledged legislation blocking the testing plans at the Nevada National Security Site.
The directive revives Trump's earlier nuclear expansion ambitions from his first term, when he pushed for tenfold arsenal growth despite arms control discussions between Moscow and Washington.
