Nuclear Testing Revival

Announcement by Donald Trump

In a recent Truth Social post, Donald Trump announced the revival of nuclear weapons testing in the United States, a practice that has been dormant for 33 years. According to Trump, this decision was made in response to the testing programs of other countries. He stated, "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."

Background on Nuclear Testing

The last U.S. nuclear test was conducted on September 23, 1992. At that time, the production of new nuclear warhead material was also halted, and the testing program was replaced with the "Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship" program. Despite China’s detonation of an H-bomb in 1994, the U.S. maintained its stance and did not resume nuclear testing, marking a significant achievement in the post-Cold War arms control process.

Trump’s Claims on Nuclear Build-out

Trump also made a claim on Truth Social that during his first term, he achieved a nuclear build-out that gave the U.S. a larger nuclear arsenal than Russia. He wrote, "The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country," and attributed this accomplishment to his efforts during his first term in office, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons.

Analysis of Trump’s Claims

Trump continued an initiative begun by President Barack Obama in 2014, aimed at strengthening the U.S. nuclear arsenal. He also expressed his desire to significantly increase the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons. If Trump’s claim that the U.S. arsenal is now larger than Russia’s is true, it would indicate a major achievement, albeit one that appears to have been accomplished in secret.

Relevant Information

For more information on the last U.S. nuclear test, visit Nuclear Weapon Archive. Details on the halt of new nuclear warhead material production can be found in The New York Times. Information on the "Science-Based Stockpile Stewardship" program is available at Congress.gov.