Former U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the world may be heading toward a “new nuclear age,” arguing that the United States must expand its capabilities and be prepared to outmatch adversaries if they continue to modernize their arsenals.
In remarks delivered during a televised interview, Trump said that countries like China, Russia, and North Korea are rapidly advancing their nuclear programs, while Washington has held to long-standing restrictions and test bans. He signalled that if global rivals continue pushing ahead, the U.S. should be prepared to escalate its own nuclear posture.
“This is not 1985 anymore,” Trump said. “Our enemies are not slowing down. If they keep going, we cannot sit back.”
His comments immediately sparked concern among non-proliferation experts and diplomats, who warned that even threatening to re-enter an active nuclear testing race could unravel decades of global arms control frameworks. They say such language could trigger retaliatory moves by other nuclear-armed states, further destabilizing an already tense international environment shaped by wars in Europe and the Middle East.
Trump’s comments come at a moment when nuclear risks are rising across multiple regions. Russia has hinted at stepping back from nuclear treaties, North Korea continues missile tests, China is expanding silos, and Iran is under intense scrutiny. In this environment, nuclear restraint is being tested globally.
The White House has not commented on Trump’s remarks. But current U.S. officials have repeatedly said that Washington remains committed to deterrence without sparking a new testing era, emphasizing simulation-based modernization instead.
Analysts say the issue will now likely become a major flashpoint in the 2025 campaign cycle and in global diplomacy, as fears of a nuclear spiral make a return to Cold War-level tension more real than at any time in decades.