Restart the process for testing nuclear weapons

Trump has announced that the U.S. will resume “nuclear weapons testing” immediately. But what “testing” means in practical terms is still ambiguous. Officials say it will not include explosive nuclear detonations for now. The move signals a shift in U.S. nuclear policy, with potential ripple effects internationally.

What’s happening

• On October 30, 2025, Reuters reported that Trump “ordered the U.S. military to immediately restart the process for testing nuclear weapons after a halt of 33 years”.


• According to the Associated Press, Trump has not clarified whether this means underground explosive nuclear tests (which the U.S. hasn’t done since 1992) or other forms of weapons/ delivery-system testing.


• Later, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that the planned tests do not involve nuclear detonations for now — they will be non-explosive system component tests.

Why it matters / key concerns

• The announcement breaks with a decades-long U.S. moratorium on nuclear explosive testing and could have global escalatory implications, especially in relations with Russia and China.


• Experts emphasise the difference between “doing a test” of a delivery system or component vs. “detonating a warhead”. Many in the U.S. policy community suggest the latter would be highly destabilising.


• Legal/treaty implications: The U.S. has signed (but not ratified) the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test‑Ban Treaty (CTBT), which prohibits all nuclear explosions. A full resumption of explosive testing could undermine non-proliferation norms.