Trump Brings Back Nuclear Tests, Just Before Xi Meeting: “I HATED to Do It, But Had No Choice”

President Trump said on Wednesday he wants the U.S. to start testing nuclear weapons again. He wants the U.S. to be on the same level as China and Russia.

“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial. “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.”

New: Trump says he has instructed the Defense Department to “immediately” begin testing U.S. nuclear weapons. https://t.co/KMRqXf4NEm pic.twitter.com/CCH6xgJedX

— Anthony Adragna (@AnthonyAdragna) October 30, 2025

The Pentagon has not said anything yet.

Trump made the announcement just before flying to South Korea to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. It is their first meeting since 2019. When a reporter asked Trump about the nuclear tests, he ignored the question, and reporters were quickly sent out of the room.

The U.S. stopped explosive nuclear testing in 1992. Restarting tests would be a big change. Some experts say it could make other countries nervous.

Trump’s old national security advisor, Robert C. O’Brien, had already suggested this last year.

“Washington must test new nuclear weapons for reliability and safety in the real world for the first time since 1992—not just by using computer models,” O’Brien wrote in Foreign Affairs. “If China and Russia continue to refuse to engage in good-faith arms control talks, the United States should also resume production of uranium-235 and plutonium-239, the primary fissile isotopes of nuclear weapons.”

Russia is keeping busy too. Last week, they tested a new nuclear-capable cruise missile called Burevestnik. Officials say it flew 8,700 miles. The world complained. Trump also called it “inappropriate” because he wants Russia to stop fighting in Ukraine.

“You’ve got to get the war ended. A war that should have taken one week is now in its soon fourth year,” Trump said Monday. “That’s what you ought to do, instead of testing missiles.”

Trump also added, “We test missiles all the time. They’re not playing games with us, and we’re not playing games with them either.”

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow tested a new underwater nuclear drone. He said the reactor that powers it is “100 times smaller” than submarine reactors.

Featured image via X screengrab