President Donald Trump’s newest order has set off a political firestorm. As the government shutdown drags on, Senate Democrats are in an uproar over Trump’s decision to resume U.S. nuclear weapons testing, a move he says is essential to keeping America safe.

Trump announced on Truth Social that he had “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.” He said that Russia and China were conducting their own nuclear tests, and that the U.S. must match their pace to remain strong.

The president noted that the United States already holds the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, reminding Americans that the modernization of those weapons began during his first term.

His post came just hours before a major summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, setting the stage for one of the boldest displays of American strength in years.

Democrats immediately erupted. Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen gave an emotional response, warning about potential contamination from testing.

“Trump’s going to start nuclear testing. Explosive nuclear testing. What happens in Nevada ain’t gonna’ stay there,” Rosen said. “The ground, the air, the water, all across this country, places like Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, keep going. Because the rain falls everywhere, the wind blows everywhere. And that contamination won’t stay isolated.”

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut, also pushed back, claiming there’s no need to test U.S. nuclear weapons.

“We can model this stuff — we have enough data from hundreds, maybe up to a thousand tests,” Kelly told reporters. “This benefits the Chinese … we know our systems are reliable. If they start testing again, they could build greater reliability into their strategic forces, all legs of it.”

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal tied Trump’s order to Russian missile testing, saying it projected weakness.

“Putin is once again testing us,” Blumenthal said. “Donald Trump has shown weakness in the face of the murderous assault in Ukraine, and Putin is testing delivery systems. We’ve announced a test of the nuclear warheads. There’s an asymmetry. But the move by Putin simply reflects his apparent feeling that he can continue testing and stalling and stonewalling and playing and even mocking the United States.”

Republicans, however, saw Trump’s order as a sign of resolve.

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer said he doesn’t believe Trump meant literal detonations, but rather a strong show of deterrence.

“I think that was a deterrent rhetoric,” Cramer said. “I don’t imagine he was talking about above-ground or even underground detonations at this point. I’m comfortable with why he did it and why he said it.”

“I don’t know that he called for a resumption of testing,” he added. “He said he can match our enemy.”

When asked if the directive was strategic ahead of Trump’s meeting with Xi, Cramer said, “It may have been, and if it was, I’d say good job.”

China, according to a 2025 defense report, has the fastest-growing nuclear arsenal among the nine nuclear-armed nations but hasn’t conducted a test since 1996. Russia hasn’t tested since 1990. Trump’s move, Republicans argue, is about ensuring America stays ready — and ahead.

As Democrats continue their outrage, the president’s message remains clear: strength deters war. And for Trump, that strength starts with keeping America’s defenses untouchable.