Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus has introduced legislation opposing US President Donald Trump's decision to conduct nuclear tests.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he had ordered nuclear tests to be carried out "on par" with other countries that are said to have nuclear weapons programs. On the social media platform TruthSocial, Trump added that this process would begin immediately. Titus later announced that a bill opposing the US leader's decision would be introduced in the US Congress.
“Congresswoman Dina Titus has introduced the Resumption of Test-Stopping Efforts and Strengthening Arms Control Initiatives (RESTRAIN) Act, which would prohibit the US from conducting explosive nuclear tests after President Trump announced this week that the Department of Defense would immediately resume nuclear testing“, a statement on the congresswoman's website said.
The document states that Trump's statement contradicts arms control and non-proliferation treaties initiated by the United States after the end of the Cold War and could provoke new tests by Russia and China, resuming the international arms race.
Following the US leader's statements, Russian President Dmitry Peskov stressed that the current moratorium on nuclear weapons testing remains in force.
Earlier, Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), commenting on Trump's statements, noted that any nuclear tests would undermine international stability and security.