Democratic senators condemn Trump's order to resume nuclear testing

Democratic senators have issued sharp condemnations of President Donald Trump's directive to resume nuclear weapons testing, characterizing the move as a dangerous escalation that could destabilize global security. The criticism emerged following Trump's announcement that he instructed the Pentagon to "immediately" begin nuclear tests in response to other countries' testing programs, potentially ending a three-decade-long moratorium observed by the United States.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Response

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the president's action as "a very dangerous and reckless move" that would unilaterally end the testing pause maintained since 1992. She emphasized that neither Russia nor China has conducted nuclear tests since the early 1990s and stressed that "the harmful toll that nuclear testing has wrought on Americans and our environment is the product of a chapter of history that should remain in the past," advocating against reopening that historical period.

Emotional Opposition from Nevada Senator

The announcement triggered particularly strong opposition from Senator Jacky Rosen, whose home state of Nevada hosted hundreds of Cold War-era nuclear tests. In an emotional Senate hearing condemnation, Rosen vowed to actively resist any attempt to resume explosive testing, stating "President Trump last night took the reckless, irresponsible and dangerous step to declare that we will resume explosive nuclear testing despite no evidence supporting the need to do so." She warned that radiation exposure from renewed testing "would be felt across the country and around the world" with "devastating and catastrophic" consequences.

Strategic Concerns and International Context

Senator Mark Kelly expressed concern that renewed American testing would ultimately benefit strategic competitors rather than enhance national security. He argued that "testing the warhead itself is something we do not need to do" and noted that if China responded by resuming its own testing program following American actions, the net effect would disadvantage the United States. The United Nations reinforced these concerns, with a spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stating that current nuclear risks are "already alarmingly high" and urging avoidance of actions that could lead to miscalculation with "catastrophic consequences."