California Gov. Gavin Newsom pans Trump's nuclear testing directive: 'Weakness masquerading as strength'

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday called President Donald Trump's directive to restart testing nuclear weapons in the United States "weakness masquerading as strength.""Look, this is weakness masquerading as strength.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday called President Donald Trump's directive to restart testing nuclear weapons in the United States "weakness masquerading as strength."

"Look, this is weakness masquerading as strength. This is classic Trump and Trumpism. This guy is historically weak, and these are acts of a weak person that is trying to appear strong," Newsom told NBC News' "Meet the Press."

Trump said Wednesday that he had directed the Defense Department to “immediately” start testing nuclear weapons, which the United States hasn’t done since 1992.

On the final leg of a trip through Asia, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Because of other [countries’] testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.”

He also claimed in the post that the United States “has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” taking credit for a buildup of nuclear weapons during his first term. NBC News previously asked the White House for clarification about whether he meant nuclear-capable or nuclear weapons.