Trump says U.S. will begin testing nuclear weapons

President’ Trump said that he has ordered the Pentagon to “start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis” with Russia and China.

- Michael R. Gordon& Alex Leary

But it remained unclear whether Trump was referring to the testing of nuclear warheads or the missiles and other delivery systems that carry them.

“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump wrote on social media. “That process will begin immediately.”

Trump's post came shortly before a meeting in South Korea with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Later, in comments to reporters during his return flight to the U.S., Trump said the administration plans to issue an announcement with more detail on the tests. He declined to explain the reason for his move but said it didn’t relate to China.

“I had to do with others,” he said, without specifying any countries. “They seem to all be nuclear testing.”

Asked if he thought the world is entering a more risky nuclear environment, he said, “I don’t think so.” The president added that he would “like to see a denuclearization.

The U.S. last conducted a nuclear weapons test in 1992 and has joined Russia and China in observing a decadeslong moratorium on underground nuclear blasts.