Overview
- Trump said on Truth Social that he instructed the Department of War to begin testing U.S. nuclear weapons immediately, providing no details on timing, locations or test types.
- His directive followed Vladimir Putin’s claim that Russia successfully tested the nuclear‑capable Poseidon underwater vehicle with a submarine launch and activation of its nuclear propulsion.
- Putin asserted the system can carry nuclear warheads, travel fast at great depth and cannot be intercepted, while offering no test location or independent verification.
- Russia days earlier touted a nuclear‑powered Burevestnik cruise‑missile test on Oct. 21, with officials claiming a 14,000‑kilometer, 15‑hour flight and evasive maneuvers.
- The United States has not conducted explosive nuclear tests since 1992, so a restart would reverse a long‑standing moratorium and heighten concerns about renewed global nuclear‑testing competition.