Trump orders resumption of nuclear weapons tests and cites Russia.

US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday, the 29th, that he has instructed the Department of Defense to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing "on a level playing field" with other nuclear powers.

“Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the War Department to begin testing our nuclear weapons on a level playing field. That process will begin immediately,” Trump said on the Truth Social network. “Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will catch up within five years.”

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia had successfully tested a nuclear-powered supertorpedo, the Poseidon, which analysts believe is capable of devastating coastal regions with radioactive ocean waves.

Trump has been escalating his rhetoric against Russia over Putin's resistance to negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine. Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on... two of the largest Russian oil companies .

The last time the US tested nuclear weapons was in 1992.

• United States
• Russia
• Nuclear test