Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
President Donald Trump has ordered the resumption of US nuclear weapons tests, a move announced on social media, citing testing programs by other nations. This decision follows recent claims from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the successful testing of new, advanced nuclear-powered weapons, including the Poseidon underwater torpedo and the Burevestnik cruise missile. The escalating rhetoric and actions from both global powers signal a potentially dangerous new era in nuclear arms policy, driven by stalled diplomatic progress and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
US Responds to Global Nuclear Programs
President Trump’s directive to the “Department of War” to commence nuclear weapons tests on an “equal basis” was posted on social media on Thursday, October 30, 2025. The announcement came shortly before a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, though Trump indicated his decision was not prompted by China but by “others.” It remains unclear whether the order refers to a full nuclear weapons test or a test of a nuclear-capable delivery system.
Russia’s Advanced Nuclear Claims
Just hours prior to Trump’s announcement, President Putin, during a visit to a military hospital in Moscow on October 29, claimed the successful test-launch of the Poseidon. This experimental nuclear-powered underwater torpedo is suggested by military analysts to have a range exceeding 6,000 miles (9,650 km). Putin asserted the weapon’s power significantly surpasses Russia’s most advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles and would be “impossible” to intercept.
In addition to the Poseidon, Putin also mentioned the imminent deployment of the massive Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, widely known as the “Satan 2.” Days earlier, the Kremlin had announced the successful test of the Burevestnik, or Storm Petrel, a nuclear-powered cruise missile claimed to be capable of virtually unlimited flight time and distance.
Strategic Context and Treaty Expiration
These developments occur as the New START treaty, which limits the nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia, is set to expire in February 2026. While some observers express technical doubts about the practicality and deployment timelines of Russia’s newly claimed nuclear-powered weapons, the Kremlin views its nuclear posturing as a diplomatic tool. Moscow aims to gain attention from the US and the West, seeking concessions in Ukraine and emphasizing the potential existential threat a “provoked or denied Russia” could pose.
The Kremlin reportedly feels provoked by discussions surrounding the supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and denied by Washington’s perceived failure to compel Ukraine and its European allies to accept Moscow’s maximalist terms for ending the conflict.
Escalation of Tensions
Initially, Trump had dismissed Putin’s earlier nuclear boasts, urging the Russian leader to end the war in Ukraine, which he noted was in its fourth year. Trump had also hinted at canceling a planned summit with Putin in Budapest and imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest oil companies. In response, Putin oversaw what he described as “planned” nuclear triad drills, testing long-range missiles from land, sea, and air.
However, the latest announcement of the Poseidon torpedo test, a weapon potentially capable of widespread radioactive destruction, appears to have prompted the White House’s decision to resume its own nuclear weapons tests. This reciprocal escalation marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy, ushering in a new and unpredictable era of arms competition between the United States and Russia.
