Trump Directs Defense Department to Restart Nuclear Weapons Testing

President Trump said he has directed the Defense Department to begin testing US nuclear weapons “on an equal basis” with Russia and China, according to a post on Truth Social Wednesday night.

The Details: The announcement came ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. It did not mention specifics about what the tests would involve. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said Russia had successfully tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile and a nuclear-capable torpedo, both of which are designed to carry nuclear warheads. The tests evaluated the weapons’ propulsion and guidance systems, but did not involve detonating any nuclear warheads. The torpedo is reportedly intended to travel under the Pacific Ocean from Russia’s east coast toward the US west coast.

For Context: The US has not conducted an explosive nuclear test since 1992 when President George H.W. Bush established a moratorium following the end of the Cold War. However, the US has the ability to resume tests at the Nevada National Security Site. During Trump’s first term, officials had discussed a possible test as leverage in negotiations with Russia and China. According to The New York Times (Lean Left bias), while China has increased its stockpile of nuclear weapons, it hasn’t tested a nuclear weapon since 1996, and Russia hasn’t confirmed a test since 1990. 

Nuclear Testing: A worldwide effort to halt nuclear testing led to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear explosions worldwide, as well as to help stop nuclear proliferation. The treaty was signed by 187 countries and ratified by 178, but has not entered into force because eight states (including the US, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, and Egypt) have not ratified it. Since the treaty’s introduction, only India, Pakistan, and North Korea have conducted confirmed nuclear test explosions.

How the Media Covered It: Outlets on the right, including Fox News (Right), Washington Examiner (Lean Right), New York Post (Lean Right), and Newsmax (Right) emphasized the directive as a response to Russia and China’s comments about their nuclear capabilities, and recent Russian and North Korean tests. The Washington Examiner wrote Trump’s declaration “could aggravate international relations on a global scale.” Outlets on the left, including Washington Post (Lean Left), New York Times, Axios (Lean Left), and NBC News (Lean Left) emphasized Russia and China haven't confirmed nuclear tests, and that Russian operations were “tests of the delivery vehicles.” Axios wrote the “end to the moratorium on testing” could be to China's advantage. 

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