Former President Donald Trump said he plans to restart nuclear weapons testing if re-elected, marking what would be the first U.S. nuclear test since 1992. The announcement, made during a campaign rally in Nevada, immediately drew alarm from arms control experts and foreign governments who warned it could trigger a new global arms race.
Trump argued the move is necessary to “show strength” against China, Russia, and Iran, claiming that America’s nuclear arsenal must be “fully proven and unmatched.” Critics said resuming testing would undermine decades of nonproliferation efforts and risk reigniting Cold War–era tensions. The U.S. has relied on computer simulations and subcritical testing for more than 30 years to maintain its arsenal, a system many scientists say is reliable. The proposal would likely face legal and international hurdles, as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, though never ratified by the U.S., remains a cornerstone of global nuclear restraint.