Trump Says US Will 'Immediately Begin' Testing Nuclear Weapons, Minutes Before Meeting With Xi

Last Updated:October 30, 2025, 07:42 IST

Trump said that, although he “hated” the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, he felt compelled to expand and maintain them because of growing competition from Russia and China.

US President Donald Trump. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump on Thursday has announced that the United States will “immediately begin" testing nuclear weapons, citing similar actions by China and Russia. The statement, made on his social media platform Truth Social, comes just hours before his high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea.

US must match nuclear testing by China, Russia

Trump said that, although he “hated" the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, he felt compelled to expand and maintain them because of growing competition from Russia and China. He said that since other countries were already conducting nuclear tests, he had instructed the US Department of Defense to begin nuclear testing “immediately" so that the US would not fall behind.

In his post, Trump wrote, “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! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 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."

Trump announcement has triggered a dramatic escalation in Washington’s nuclear posture, breaking with decades of restraint under international test ban norms. The United States last conducted a full-scale nuclear weapons test in 1992, though it has since carried out subcritical experiments.

Meanwhile, Trump has landed in Busan for a G2 meeting with Xi. Both leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of contentious issues, including trade tariffs, fentanyl trafficking, rare earth mineral restrictions, and the status of Chinese technology firms such as TikTok in the US.

News world Trump Says US Will 'Immediately Begin' Testing Nuclear Weapons, Minutes Before Meeting With Xi

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