The decision comes after statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin about new advances in atomic technology and is seen as a show of strength by the American government amid growing global tension
The president of the , , announced this Thursday (30) the resumption of the country’s nuclear weapons tests, ending a pause that lasted more than three decades. The decision comes after statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin about new advances in atomic technology and is seen as a show of strength by the American government amid growing global tension. “Because of the testing programs of other countries, I have instructed the War Department to begin testing our nuclear weapons on a level playing field,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. The announcement was made minutes before a meeting between the American president and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea.
The move marks a hardening of Washington’s stance towards Moscow, at a time when peace negotiations in the Ukraine war are at a standstill. Vice President JD Vance said the tests were necessary “to ensure that the United States’ nuclear arsenal functions properly.”
Trump declared that the US has the largest nuclear stockpile in the world and that his administration is promoting “a complete upgrade and renewal of existing weapons”. He also claimed that Russia ranks second, while China “will be on par in five years” — a claim that contradicts data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), according to which Russia possesses 4,309 nuclear warheads, the US 3,700 and China around 600.
The American president did not detail whether the new tests would involve nuclear warheads — which would violate the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, signed by Washington in 1996 — or just transport systems. “It will be announced. We already have the locations”, he simply said on board Air Force One. The decision was harshly criticized by other countries. Iran called the move “irresponsible” and “a threat to international peace and security.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Trump acts like “a thug armed with nuclear weapons” while “demonizing Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.”
China also reacted, calling on the United States to respect the global ban on atomic tests and adopt “concrete measures to preserve the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation system.” The UN expressed concern and called for “no nuclear tests to be carried out under any circumstances”. The announcement comes after Putin announced the success of tests of the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone, both compatible with nuclear payloads. The Kremlin, however, stated that these tests did not involve atomic explosions.
The United States and Russia are still signatories to the New START treaty, which limits the number of strategic warheads to 1,550 for each country. The agreement expires in February 2026, and Moscow has proposed a one-year extension, without resuming mutual inspections suspended since 2023.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
