Nevada Democrats in Congress are demanding clarity on President Donald Trump’s suggestion to resume nuclear testing in a Monday letter to the administration, shared first with The Nevada Independent.

“We write to express our outrage and unequivocal opposition to President Trump’s reckless directive to resume explosive nuclear weapons testing and to demand clarification,” the five Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation wrote in the letter, which was led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV). “While [Energy Secretary Chris Wright] has tried to clarify President Trump’s Truth Social post, the president’s directive announced last week on Truth Social is unnecessary, dangerous, and scientifically unjustified.”

The letter requests details on what exactly resumed nuclear testing would entail and sought a commitment from the president that he would not restart explosive tests. It follows Trump’s Wednesday post in which he wrote, “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.”

That announcement immediately sparked concern among Nevada Democrats, since the Nevada National Security Site would be a likely venue for any future nuclear tests. The United States’ last such tests took place there in 1992, but the explosions that did occur exposed Nevada residents and land to toxic radiation. 

Democrats are asking the administration to “reaffirm the U.S. moratorium on explosive nuclear weapons testing and immediately halt any preparatory activities that could signal intent to resume such testing, especially at the Nevada National Security Site.” They also request the administration brief Congress on how AI could provide more certainty about stockpile performance and provide an estimate of the costs of conducting explosive tests. 

The letter, addressed to Trump, Wright, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Brandon Williams, argues that explosive testing is unnecessary and risks sparking a “global nuclear arms race,” as no country but North Korea has conducted an explosive nuclear test in the 21st century. 

On Sunday, Wright told Fox News that his agency is planning “system tests,” not nuclear explosions. He said that Nevadans should have “no worries” about seeing a mushroom cloud in the desert. 

But Democrats want a guarantee.

“[To] even contemplate detonating nuclear weapons on American soil is a betrayal of science, safety, and the American people,” they wrote.