US President Donald J. Trump has reignited global debate after announcing on TruthSocial that he has instructed the Department of War to begin nuclear weapons testing, marking a major shift in US defense policy.

In his post, Trump stated that during his first term, the United States not only expanded but also fully modernized its nuclear arsenal, making it the strongest in the world. Although he claimed he “hated to do it,” the president said he had no choice given the ongoing nuclear activities of Russia and China.

In parallel, President Trump approved a new agreement to purchase agricultural products from China, a move viewed as both a gesture of balance toward US farmers and a signal that he intends to manage US-China relations through “controlled interdependence” rather than direct confrontation. Yet, his decision to resume nuclear testing has raised alarms among global security experts, who warn that it could pave the way for Russia and China to legitimize similar tests and potentially trigger a new arms race.

This development also coincides with Russia’s successful test of the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle powered by a nuclear reactor, which President Vladimir Putin hailed as a “great success.” As the world’s major powers test both their weapons and their influence, analysts suggest that the global order is entering a new “cold peace”, an era without open conflict but defined by strategic rivalry, technological competition, and military deterrence.

But, what message is President Trump trying to send by resuming U.S. nuclear testing at this stage of global competition? What implications does this hold for U.S. alliances, particularly NATO and Indo-Pacific partners like Japan and South Korea? How might the resumption of US nuclear testing affect the global arms control framework,........

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