In the recent U.S. elections, the “nuclear issue” emerged as a key agenda item. President-elect Donald Trump faces rising tensions and looming deadlines for major treaties. Russia has suspended inspections under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which limits deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550. The treaty must be renewed by 2026 to avoid an arms race. Meanwhile, the international agreement with Iran expires in 2025, raising concerns that Tehran could pursue nuclear weapons. China could double its nuclear arsenal by 2030, according to the Pentagon. To address these scenarios, the U.S. has turned to Project 2025.
Project 2025. This initiative, developed by the Heritage Foundation and former Trump administration officials, serves as a policy roadmap. It proposes sweeping reforms across U.S. government functions, with a focus on military and national security policy. A major element is expanding the nuclear arsenal.
The plan includes resuming nuclear testing, developing new weapons, and modernizing the nuclear program, even at the expense of international agreements like the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The goal is to put the U.S. on a “war footing” against powers such as China and Russia by bolstering military capabilities while scaling back nonproliferation efforts.
A return to rearmament. After decades of nuclear disarmament, the world faces a renewed arms race. Russia is testing advanced nuclear cruise missiles, China is building silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the U.S., though trailing, plans to spend nearly $2 trillion to modernize its nuclear forces.
Project 2025, backed by conservative groups aligned with the Trump administration, seeks to ramp up U.S. nuclear infrastructure. The plan calls for increased production, a diversified arsenal, and the resumption of nuclear testing.
Inside the plan. Key proposals include accelerated plutonium core production, new weapon development, and reintroducing the B83 nuclear bomb, 80 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. It also seeks to restart nuclear testing, suspended since 1992.
The plan redirects funding from non-nuclear research at labs like Los Alamos to weapons projects. It also aims to prepare for weapons testing within six months if needed, despite expert opinions that advanced computer models may render testing unnecessary.
Economic motives. Unlike the Cold War, when ideology drove nuclear expansion, today’s arms race is fueled by economics. Defense contractors benefit from lucrative contracts, lobbying efforts, and political contributions.
Programs like the Sentinel system, which involves building new missile silos, promise to expand the nuclear arsenal while enriching a select group of corporations.
Geopolitical implications. Project 2025 advocates rejecting the CTBT, following Russia’s withdrawal in 2023. This could spur nuclear tests by countries like China and North Korea, escalating the arms race. The New START Treaty, the last remaining U.S.-Russia arms control agreement, expires in 2026. Analysts say the Trump administration is unlikely to prioritize its renewal, worsening nuclear competition.
Nuclear tests and the potential use of modern weapons could have catastrophic consequences. A 2022 study in Nature estimated a nuclear conflict between the U.S. and Russia could kill 5 billion people due to its impact on food production. New tests would also increase global pollution.
Criticism and challenges. Experts like Joseph Cirincione and Sharon Squassoni warn that stockpiling weapons destabilizes global security rather than enhancing it. Project 2025 also faces logistical hurdles, such as cleaning up the Nevada Test Site, a process that could take years.
A legacy of harm. Many experts cite historical examples. From 1946 to 1958, the U.S. conducted 67 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, including 1954’s Operation Bravo, the most powerful U.S. explosion, at 1,000 times the strength of the Hiroshima bomb.
These tests left behind a “nuclear wound” of contaminated lands and oceans, displaced communities, and generations affected by radiation-related diseases. The lingering effects remain a painful legacy for Pacific Islanders and U.S. military personnel.
For critics, Project 2025’s call to resume nuclear testing represents a dangerous step backward and a betrayal of progress in disarmament and diplomacy.
Image | futureatlas.com | Kelly Michals
View 0 comments