The US president has said he was left with “no choice” in light of Russian and Chinese arsenals
US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing strategic competition with Russia and China.
Trump made the announcement ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday.
“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. 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!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. 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,” he added.
The US halted nuclear tests in 1992 under a Congress-mandated moratorium. Members of Trump’s cabinet reportedly discussed reversing the moratorium during his first term after the US accused China and Russia of secretly conducting an underground low-yield nuclear tests – a claim Beijing and Moscow denied.
According to a recent estimate by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US has 5,177 nuclear warheads, Russia has 5,459, and China is projected to reach 1,500 by 2035.
The US test-fired an unarmed, nuclear-capable Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in February and launched four Trident II missiles from a submarine in September.
Earlier this month, Russia test-fired its new nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile, powered by a small nuclear reactor that gives it a virtually unlimited range.
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