'It's a mistake': Trump under fire after 'gift' to foes

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States at the Pentagon, in Washington D.C., U.S., September 11, 2025. REUTERSEvelyn Hockstein

WASHINGTON — Democrats on the Hill bashed President Donald Trump's idea to perform underground tests of American nuclear weapons on Thursday, arguing that it would be a "gift" to foreign adversaries.

On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he wanted America's military to begin testing nuclear weapons "immediately" because other countries appear to be testing the weapons as well. Critics have said Trump's claim is false, and that the other countries he referred to, Russia and China, have not tested nuclear weapons in decades.

"Because of other countries' testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump posted. "That process will begin immediately."

Democrats on the Hill bashed the idea on Thursday.

"This is a gift to the People's Republic of China," said Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). "Maybe the president thinks that they test their nuclear weapons. They do not. Nobody has tested nuclear weapons in decades except for the North Koreans. It would be a mistake for us to do this because we have very little to gain."

"Neither China, nor Russia, nor the United States has done any nuclear testing since 1996," said Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). "We are far more capable at that technology than China. It would be a gift to China militarily if the United States began nuclear testing because the Chinese could start immediately and become evermore sophisticated."

"The whole framework of nuclear nonproliferation is to promote the security of the world," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said. "The agreement is that the nuclear powers of the world would work toward a nuclear-free world. And so, resuming tests essentially encourages other nations that they might as well pursue a nuclear program."

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