U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to
immediately begin testing American nuclear weapons, announcing the decision in
a post on his social network, Truth
Social.
“The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other
country. This was made possible by the complete overhaul and modernization of
our arsenal during my first term,” Trump said.
He added that Russia now ranks second and China third, but
warned that Beijing could overtake both within five years if the U.S. fails to
act decisively.
“Given the testing programs of other countries, I have
ordered the Pentagon to begin our own — on equal terms. That process starts
immediately,” he said.
Trump had already warned in August that the U.S. was fully
prepared for a nuclear conflict with Russia, and criticized previous
administrations for what he called their weak approach to strategic deterrence.