U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday (October 30) ordered the U.S. military to immediately resume testing nuclear weapons for the first time in 33 years, minutes before beginning a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump made the surprise announcement on Truth Social while he was aboard his Marine One helicopter flying to meet Xi for a trade negotiating session in Busan, South Korea. He said he was instructing the Pentagon to test the U.S. nuclear arsenal on an "equal basis" with other nuclear powers.

Trump's decision to restart nuclear weapons testing follows a rapid expansion by China of its nuclear stockpile in recent years, and came just after Russia announced what it called a successful test of a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable cruise missile as well as a nuclear-powered torpedo.

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Trump says decision to resume testing nuclear weapons prompted by actions of other nations

VIDEO SHOWS: U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP DISCUSSING PLANS TO RESUME U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING

SHOWS: IN AIR (OCTOBER 30, 2025) (WHITEHOUSE.GOV - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING:

"It had to do with others. They seem to all be nuclear testing.

REPORTER: "Russia?"

TRUMP: "We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don't do testing and we've halted it years many years ago. But with others doing testing, I think it's appropriate that we do also.

(CROSSTALK - REPORTERS): "Did Israel?" Are there details around the testing, sir? Where? When?"

TRUMP: "We...it'll be announced. You know, we have test sites. It'll be announced."