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Cold War, 1945-1991

US to Resume Nuclear Testing After 33 Years as Trump's Order Sparks Global Condemnation

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The United States, under President Donald Trump's directive, will resume testing nuclear weapons after a 33-year hiatus. This reversal of decades of restraint comes as the US seeks to match the actions of other nuclear powers, particularly Russia and China. Trump's announcement has drawn swift international condemnation, with global powers warning that resuming nuclear testing could trigger a chain reaction of nuclear activity and destabilize global strategic balance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US will resume testing nuclear weapons after a 33-year hiatus, with the first test expected to take place at the Nevada site, where the last US nuclear explosion occurred in 1992.
  • President Trump's decision reverses decades of restraint and counters efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear arms, sparking concerns among global powers.
  • The move is seen as a response to the growing nuclear capabilities of Russia and China, which have been expanding or modernizing their nuclear arsenals.
  • The decision was announced by Trump on social media, with the president stating that the US would "start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis" as other countries.
  • Experts warn that resuming nuclear testing could take up to three years to prepare, sparking concerns about the potential risks and consequences.
  • Global powers have condemned the decision, with China urging the US to "earnestly fulfil its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty".
  • The US possesses around 5,225 nuclear warheads, while Russia has about 5,580, according to the Arms Control Association.
  • The decision comes as the US and Russia are near the expiration of the New START Treaty in February 2026, which limits each side to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads.

Statistics:

  • The US has not conducted a nuclear test since 1992.
  • The US possesses around 5,225 nuclear warheads, while Russia has about 5,580, according to the Arms Control Association.
  • China has more than doubled its nuclear arsenal in the last five years, from 300 to around 600 nuclear weapons.
  • China could have more than 1,000 weapons by 2030, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  • The US last tested a nuclear bomb on September 23, 1992, under a project code-named Divider at an underground site in Nevada.
  • The Nevada site remains under government control and could be reactivated if needed.
  • The New START Treaty, the last remaining arms control agreement between the US and Russia, expires in February 2026.

Sources:

  • Times of Israel: "US to resume nuclear testing after 33 years, Trump says"
  • Center for Strategic and International Studies: "China's Nuclear Modernization"
  • Arms Control Association: "US Nuclear Warheads"
  • Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: "The US is a sovereign country which has a right to make its sovereign decisions, but if someone departs from the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly."
  • Daryl G Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association: "The US had no technical, military, or political justification for resuming nuclear explosive testing for the first time since 1992."

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