On the eve of his meeting with Xi Jinping, Donald Trump unexpectedly announced plans to resume nuclear testing in the United States—a move that could have far-reaching consequences for global security.
Since the signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on September 24, 1996, no country except North Korea has conducted such tests. Trump’s statement therefore undermines the international consensus maintained for nearly three decades and marks a major geopolitical shift—a return to the Cold War atmosphere of the 1980s.
“The United States possesses the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. This was made possible by the full modernization and renewal of our weapons during my first term. I hated doing it because of the tremendous destructive power of these weapons, but I had no choice. Russia is in second place, China a distant third—though it will catch up in five years. Given the testing programs in other countries, I have instructed the Department of War to conduct our own tests on equal terms. The process will begin immediately,” Trump wrote.
The president added that the U.S. would soon announce the location and timing of the tests. “We have the appropriate test sites. This will be announced,” he said.
Trump’s statement came shortly after Vladimir Putin announced tests of Russia’s nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik and the Poseidon underwater drone, which is also equipped with a nuclear propulsion system.