Nuclear deterrence is an American military doctrine that uses the credible threat of retaliation to deter an enemy from using nuclear weapons in a first strike attack. Also known as mutual assured destruction, it assumes no American President will ever use nukes in a preemptive attack. However, Trump’s Presidency has highlighted how concerning it is that any president has the authority to launch a nuke without Congressional approval. Launching a weapon that can instantly kill millions of people is an obvious act of war. Advocates say regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, only Congress has the constitutional duty to decide when a nuclear first strike is warranted. They claim no president should have the power to launch a first-use nuclear strike without explicit Congressional approval, saying it would be immoral, disproportionate and could only be considered an act of war – something our Constitution makes clear no single person should be able to do alone.

Pending Legislation: Reintroduction of H.R.669 - Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2023
Sponsor: Rep. Ted Lieu (CA)
Status: House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Chair: Rep. Michael McCaul (TX)