Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and three other Democrat colleagues introduced the No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act Nov. 7, 2025. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
"Restarting nuclear testing would be reckless and unnecessary," Kelly said in a Friday statement. "We’ve already conducted more than a thousand tests and know our warheads work. This would just risk triggering a dangerous chain reaction, potentially encouraging countries like China to do the same and advance their own technology."
ENERGY SECRETARY REVEALS HOW US NUCLEAR TESTS WILL WORK
Trump’s call to reinstate nuclear testing struck a cord with those in Nevada, where the bulk of U.S. nuclear testing from 1951 to 1992 was conducted at the Nevada Test Site. The area is now known as the Nevada National Security Site, which aims to safeguard the U.S.’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
But the site is the only location currently in the U.S. where a nuclear test could be administered, according to the lawmakers.
"Nevadans were blindsided when President Trump said he could revive the outdated, misguided practice of detonating nuclear weapons just 60 miles from my hometown of Las Vegas," Cortez Masto said in a Friday statement. "No administration should have the authority to set off nuclear bombs on American soil without any oversight or outreach to the states that would bear the burden of these dangerous tests."
Likewise, Rosen emphasized the gravity of resuming nuclear testing, and said that "a decision of this magnitude should not be made lightly or on a whim by an erratic President."
Reps. Steven Horsford and Susie Lee, both Democrats from Nevada, are expected to introduce companion legislation in the House.
RUSSIA DRAWING UP PLANS TO CONDUCT NUCLEAR TESTS AFTER TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT
Trump announced in October just ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the U.S. would revive nuclear weapons testing — even though the U.S. has not done so since 1992.
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Moscow-appointed head of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, Yevgeny Balitsky during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
As a result, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said it’s critical the president responds to those like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who have nuclear weapons.
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"When you have a madman that has nuclear weapons like Putin does and he starts rattling his saber, it's important for the president to respond," Risch told reporters on Oct. 30. "And he responded in a way that is reasonable."
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-fight-block-trumps-reckless-unnecessary-call-restart-nuclear-testing