Alarmed by China & Russia, Trump asks Pentagon to end 3-decade nuclear testing pause: Will it trigger a 'chain reaction'?

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the Department of War under Pentagon to begin testing the nation’s nuclear weapons after a gap of 33 years, citing the recent testing programs by “other countries”.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump said the US has "more nuclear weapons than any other country", crediting his first term in office for what he described as a "complete update and renovation" of the nation's nuclear arsenal.

"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," Trump wrote.

He made the announcement minutes before his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.

Russia’s new nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile

Trump’s statement comes against the backdrop of Russia testing two advanced nuclear-powered systems -- the 9M730 Burevestnik missile and the Poseidon underwater drone -- described by Moscow as capable of transporting nuclear payloads over long ranges.

The US President said Russian President Vladimir Putin should end the war in Ukraine instead of testing nuclear-powered missile. "I don't think it's an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying, either, by the way: You ought to get the war ended, the war that should have taken one week is now in ... its fourth year, that's what you ought to do instead of testing missiles,” Trump said, according to Reuters.

According to Putin, the Poseidon is impossible to intercept and plays a vital role in Russia’s strategic defense. He added that the Burevestnik cruise missile’s nuclear reactor is “1,000 times smaller” than one on a submarine and can be powered up within minutes, unlike submarine reactors that take hours.

Trump did not specifically mention the Russian tests in his post, but alluded to the nuclear stockpiles controlled by both Xi and Putin, saying, "Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years," he added.

"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," Trump concluded.

Despite rapidly expanding its nuclear stockpile, China has not tested a nuclear weapon since 1996. Russia’s last verified test occurred in 1990. The United States, though it never ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, has traditionally observed its restrictions on nuclear explosions, according to a report by New York Times.

Big powers and their nuclear weapons

The exact warhead counts each country has are a secret, but estimates from the Federation of American Scientists suggest Russia holds approximately 5,459 warheads and the US about 5,177, covering deployed, reserve, and retired weapons, Reuters reported.

The Arms Control Association in Washington DC offers a similar assessment, citing 5,580 for Russia and 5,225 for the United States.

Global nuclear warhead stockpiles peaked in 1986 at over 70,000 warheads, most in the Soviet Union and the United States, but have since been reduced to about 12,000, most still in Russia and the United States, the Reuters report revealed.

China is the third largest nuclear power with 600 warheads, France has 290, the United Kingdom 225, India 180, Pakistan 170, Israel 90 and North Korea 50, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

Should Trump decide to conduct a nuclear test, possibly at the Nevada testing grounds outside Las Vegas, it would likely set off a chain reaction of similar tests by other nuclear-armed states, according to the NYT report.

(With inputs from agencies)