33 years of technology has advanced since last testing they honestly must have really shit data on it by now. I don’t think this is a Trump thing, I think the US just knows it’s seriously fucking behind.

Do any of the people that were alive for the last tests even work in the government or defence industries anymore? Doubt it. The skills and experiences of the people that were last involved are long gone. They might have simulations but they lack real tangible experience.

The world is going multipolar, this means multiple threats and a need for deterrence. This means demonstrating you have a working one in the first place, and it also means testing in order to see how you would defend against and fight a nuclear war in a multipolar world.

I think this would’ve been ordered by a dem president too under the circumstances with Ukraine going badly and the US showing no signs of being able to confront China. The dem president would’ve done it quietly though while Trump sees the opportunity to please the hogs by being loud and oafish about it.

Reestablishment of these tests is a sign the US very much recognises its power is weakening.