U.S. Prepares Potential Return to Underground Nuclear Testing Citing Covert Russian and Chinese Atomic Advancements

Washington evaluates returning to underground nuclear tests to counter Russia and China, while the FCC bans foreign routers to block persistent cyber espionage.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 25, 2026, 6:09 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Washington Times

The Strategic Shift Toward Renewed Atomic Testing

The United States is laying the groundwork for a potential return to underground nuclear explosive testing, a move prompted by intelligence suggesting that Russia and China have engaged in secret atomic experiments. Thomas G. DiNanno, the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, testified before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee that the Trump administration has directed the Energy and Defense departments to prepare for testing capabilities that match those of global adversaries. According to DiNanno, the current disparity in testing protocols has created an unacceptable hindrance for American defense, as rival nations allegedly conduct tests at yield, releasing measurable explosive energy that far exceeds the subcritical experiments currently performed by U.S. laboratories.

A Decades Long Moratorium Under Significant Pressure

This development marks a stark departure from a policy of restraint that has defined American nuclear strategy since the last underground test was conducted in 1992. While a global moratorium on nuclear explosions has been the international norm since the late 1990s, the legal framework supporting it has frayed significantly in recent years. Although the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed by both Washington and Beijing, neither capital ever ratified the pact, leaving its enforcement in a state of diplomatic limbo. The situation grew more precarious in 2023 when Russia formally revoked its own ratification, signaling a broader retreat from the arms control agreements that stabilized the post Cold War era.

The Strategic Imperative of Warhead Modernization

State Department leadership argues that the push for renewed testing is a matter of maintaining a credible deterrent in an increasingly asymmetric security environment. DiNanno emphasized that the U.S. strategic arsenal currently faces a combined threat from a projected stockpile of 2,500 warheads between Russia and China, whereas the American deployed count remains at approximately 1,500 units. By refusing to engage in formal disarmament talks despite obligations under the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty, Beijing has forced a defensive recalibration in Washington. According to DiNanno, the administration intends to vigorously compete and modernize its deterrent to effectively roll back the g...