No Nuclear Tests Resumed at Nevada Site Despite Trump’s 2025 Announcement

Last October, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he had directed the resumption of nuclear weapons testing in response to nuclear advancements by Russia, China, and North Korea. The tests, if conducted, would take place at the Nevada National Security Site, formerly the Nevada Test Site, located about 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. As of May 2026, no full-scale explosive nuclear tests have resumed.

The Nevada Test Site, established in 1951 on remote Western Shoshone land, conducted more than 1,000 U.S. nuclear tests over four decades. Chosen for its isolation, federal ownership, geological stability, and low population density, the site was preferred over locations in Utah and New Mexico.

Testing began with atmospheric detonations, including the 1951 Operation Ranger series, whose mushroom clouds were visible from Las Vegas and sparked early radiation concerns. After the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty banned aboveground explosions, testing moved underground. These detonations released radioactive isotopes that contaminated soil, air, and groundwater. The final U.S. nuclear test occurred in 1992.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse, the U.S. maintained a testing moratorium. President Clinton signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996, though the Senate did not ratify it. The U.S. has since certified its nuclear stockpile through the Stockpile Stewardship Program using computer simulations, subcritical experiments, and tools such as the upcoming Scorpius accelerator.

Trump’s announcement cited ongoing nuclear activities by adversaries, including Russia’s development of nuclear-powered cruise missiles and underwater drones, China’s missile silo expansion, and North Korea’s new intercontinental ballistic missiles. Opposition from Nevada’s congressional delegation, state legislature, and advocacy groups, along with major technical and financial challenges, has prevented resumption. Rebuilding the infrastructure would take several years and substantial investment. The site, which once employed up to 20,000 workers in the 1960s, has seen most of its testing facilities dismantled or fall into disrepair. The United States continues to uphold the moratorium.