WATCH: In SASC Hearing, Kelly Asks Defense Nominee About Dangers of Renewed Nuclear Testing Under Trump Administration

During a Senate Armed Services Committee to consider the nomination of Dr. Robert Kadlec to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs, Arizona Senator and Navy combat veteran Mark Kelly raised concerns about President Trump's recent suggestion that the U.S. could resume nuclear testing and the consequences it could have on national security.

Kelly questioned the nominee on what benefits, if any, the United States would gain from resuming nuclear tests, noting that such actions could benefit China: "We have tested, conducted more than a thousand nuclear tests. […] The Chinese have done tests maybe 40 times. So, it does appear to clearly benefit them if our resumption of nuclear testing was to push them to start testing their weapons, they could build a more reliable nuclear triad. So that's my big concern. And it doesn't seem the president has done any clarification on this-what he meant. He's had the opportunity a number of times to comment on it. And I don't know if that comes from, he doesn't want to admit that he misspoke, but this is a destabilization issue between us, Russia, and the Chinese."

Kelly also pointed to the growing challenge posed by advanced nuclear delivery systems: "We have to come up with a plan on how we counter those capabilities, how do we defend the homeland against those systems that you did mention? Because it does bring some very unique challenges. You combine that with hypersonic missile systems on different trajectories, and the challenge that we would face from those. […] When we're in this strategic competition with China right now, I think it's really important that we all understand where we're coming from. And in the case of the Chinese, they clearly benefit from this change in our posture on testing."

Sen. Kelly questions Dr. Robert P. Kadlec during a SASC hearing.

Click here to download a video of Kelly's remarks. See the transcript below:

Sen. Kelly: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Doctor Kadlec, congratulations on your nomination. Thank you for your previous service and your willingness to continue to serve our country. I'd like to take a minute to discuss explosive nuclear testing. When it comes to nuclear weapons. We want to make sure we have a stable geopolitical environment. Could you tell me what strategic benefit we would get by continuing or starting to conduct explosive nuclear, tests today? And, if there is no benefit? Or maybe if you think there is anything to be said about destabilization by doing this?

Dr. Robert P. Kadlec: Senator, I appreciate the question, and I would just offer that at this stage, in an earlier questioning, there was a question about what was meant by the, the opportunity or issue of testing at this moment. I would just highlight more from a background or context perspective. There seems to be three reasons why you would want to test. One or technical uncertainties about the weapon, and clearly, I think in the context of what has happened recently with the president receiving the report that certifies our stockpile is both safe, secure, effective, and reliable. That doesn't seem to be the issue. The second one seems to be broadly whether or not there is an issue around the qualifications or capabilities of the nuclear enterprise, in terms of how that would be affected by resuming testing. And clearly, we're making huge investments to recapitalize and modernize our enterprise, both human capital as well as the physical capital. So that doesn't seem to be the issue. The third one seems to be, whether there's geopolitical context or reasons to do that. Earlier I mentioned not based on the president's comments, but based on a review of compliance reports by State Department going back to 2019, that would suggest that there's been a concern about both Russia and China's, adherence or compliance with the threshold test ban, treaty, and whether or not there's been any issues around that. Obviously, that's a classified set of issues was identified such in the State Department. In the State Department reports, and that's something that I have not been briefed on.

Sen. Kelly: But we have tested, conducted more than a thousand. My understanding-

Dr. Kadlec: One thousand fifty-four -

Sen. Kelly: One thousand forty-two nuclear tests. The Chinese have done tests maybe 40 times. So, it does appear to clearly benefit them if our resumption of nuclear testing was to push them to start testing their weapons, they could build a more reliable nuclear triad. So that's my big concern. And it doesn't seem the president has done any clarification on this-what he meant. He's had the opportunity a number of times to comment on it. And I don't know if that comes from, he doesn't want to admit that he misspoke, but this is a destabilization issue between us, Russia, and the Chinese Would you agree?

Dr. Kadlec: Senator Kelly, there are a number of things that are destabilizing about the current strategic environment that have a little to do with testing and everything to do with the modernization that Russia has performed, development of asymmetric nuclear capability.

Sen. Kelly: Yeah, I agree with you.

Dr. Kadlec: With Poseidon, with Sarmat, the SS 29, with the nuclear cruise missile, the Skyfall. And the same goes with China, with the DF 27, DF 26, DF 17, and a whole series of other capabilities that they've gone to develop, as well as demonstrating, a closer collaboration with Russia in its strategic head.

Sen. Kelly: Yeah, and we have to come up with a plan on how we counter those capabilities. How do we defend the homeland against those systems that you did mention? Because it does bring some very unique challenges. You combine that with hypersonic missile systems on different trajectories. And the challenge that we would face from those. However, not being completely clear on whether or not we are going to resume testing and leaving that out there as an option of testing nuclear warheads again, and that could lead to the Chinese-Russians probably don't have that much to benefit from it based on the number of tests they've done. And certainly, we have the ability to model nuclear detonations pretty well. So, it doesn't seem like we need the data. When we're in this strategic competition with China right now, I think it's really important that we all understand where we're coming from. And in the case of the Chinese, they clearly benefit from this change in our posture on testing

Dr. Kadlec: Senator, if confirmed, I will certainly commit to the understanding what the presidential direction is to the department subject to this issue.

Sen. Kelly: I appreciate that. Thank you.