Donald Trump to begin nuclear weapons testing in direct challenge to Vladimir Putin

Mr Trump said: "The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country.

"This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my first term in office.

"Because of the tremendous destructive power, I hated to do it, but had no choice. Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within five years.

"Because of other countries' testing programmes, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis.

"That process will begin immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

Tensions between Russia and the US have been growing since the countries' presidents met in Alaska.

Despite Mr Trump toughening both his rhetoric and his stance on Russia, Mr Putin has continued to publicly flaunt his sizeable weapon stash.

In comparison, the last time the US tested a nuclear weapon was in 1992.

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Tests are used to provide evidence on what new weapons will do, and whether old weapons still work.

However, while the tests will provide data for the US - for Russia and China it will likely be seen as a deliberate assertion of American might.

The President met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday - and appeared to make his order to the Pentagon while flying into Busan airport.

Reacting to news of the US tests, Republicans Overseas UK chairman Greg Swenson told GB News: "If the President is punched, he punches back.

"The Russians, the Chinese and the North Koreans have been breaking all of the rules. They've been violating these treaties for generations now.

"In fact, President Trump in his first term dropped out of a medium term nuclear arms deal that we had with the Soviet Union originally.

"This just proves, again, that he is willing to fight back."

America started the nuclear era in July 1945 when the 20-kilotonne atomic bomb was tested at Alamogordo in New Mexico.

The States then dropped bombs on the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August that year to end the Second World War.

This remains the only time nuclear weapons have ever been used in combat - so far.

Nine countries in the world have nuclear stockpiles including Russia, which has the most nuclear warheads with 4,309 - and North Korea, which has the fewest, with 50.