Under current policy, Donald Trump, like every president before him, has limitless authority to launch a nuclear strike. The notion that any one person, regardless of character or party affiliation, could have such vast power to end life on Earth is appalling in the best of times — let alone during a time of increasing nuclear rhetoric and vast foreign policy shifts.
Today we are asking elected officials and YOU - their constituents - to join us in standing for No First Use. By signing this pledge, you’ll be showing your representatives that you support No First Use and want them to, as well. In fact, a bill will be introduced by Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) that would make it the policy of the United States not to use nuclear weapons first. Your Representatives should support it!
Why No First Use? Here are the five reasons that we stand for No First Use:
- There are no circumstances in which the United States could use nuclear weapons first without suffering horrific consequences and inflicting the loss of thousands of innocent lives. Retaining that suicidal option only encourages other countries to do the same.
- No individual or Congressional body - by intention or miscalculation - should ever be able to threaten the annihilation of states and cities.
- We need to disincentivize the demand for a nuclear arsenal that costs us trillions of dollars which could be going to the actual needs of our communities: healthcare, education, housing, solutions to the climate crisis, and much more.
- Nuclear deployment anywhere in the world, by any actor, would drastically elevate the role of the military globally and fundamentally weaken the ability of civil society to advocate for their communities and causes.
- A No First Use policy would in no way reduce our ability to deter nuclear-armed adversaries who fear a nuclear counterattack.
Now is the time for society to act together — civil society groups, aspiring members of Congress, incumbents, faith leaders, and everyday people.