Former President Donald Trump announced the restart of U.S. nuclear weapon tests on Truth Social ahead of his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, marking the first such decision in the 21st century.
Trump Orders Resumption of U.S. Nuclear Tests
Trump told U.S. military leaders to restart nuclear tests, citing the need to respond to Russia’s and China’s expanding atomic programs. He announced the immediate restart on Truth Social just before meeting Xi Jinping in South Korea.
He declared that the United States holds more nuclear weapons than any other nation, thanks to a full modernization and renovation of the arsenal during his first term. Trump added he was compelled by the situation, even though he did not relish the decision.
Historic First in the 21st Century
The United States halted nuclear testing in 1992 under a moratorium announced by President George H.W. Bush at the end of the Cold War. The last test—a subterranean nuclear device—was conducted on 23 September 1992 at the Nevada test site.
China has not tested a nuclear weapon since 1996, while Russia has not conducted a confirmed test since 1990. Russia recently announced a test of a long‑range submarine‑based nuclear system and a missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear payloads.
Trump‑Xi Meeting in South Korea
The talks took place at a U.S. air base in Busan and were expected to last at least three hours but concluded in under two. The leaders discussed easing trade tensions between the world’s largest economies and pledged joint efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump said, “We intend to work with Xi on Ukraine.” China’s stance had previously supported Moscow’s position, prompting the U.S. to urge China to stop buying Russian oil. This was the first face‑to‑face meeting between Trump and Xi since 2019.
