Nuclear Weapons and Strategy
Nuclear weapons and strategy cover the country's nuclear arsenal and the thinking behind it, including deterrence, the idea that having these weapons discourages an attack. The military runs the forces that would deliver them, the president plays a central role in decisions about their use, and Congress funds and oversees them.
People usually ask how the United States plans for nuclear war, how it tracks and responds to nuclear threats, how leaders have managed those threats over time, and how testing and modernization fit in. The topic is closely linked to arms control and nonproliferation.
An independent team explaining how government works
Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
All Articles on Nuclear Weapons and Strategy
Why the U.S., Russia, and China Are Ramping Up Nuclear Testing Activities
The specter of nuclear testing—a practice most Americans associate with Cold War-era footage of mushroom clouds—has returned to the headlines with alarming force. Vague…
How U.S. Leaders Have Learned to Manage Nuclear Threats Since 1945
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, changed warfare and international relations forever. American presidents, generals, and diplomats have spent the decades…
How Trump Used Nuclear Submarines to Signal Russia
On August 1, 2025, a social media feud between leaders from the world's two largest nuclear powers escalated into tangible military action. President Trump…
How America Tracks Nuclear Threats
Nuclear threat evaluation isn't a single task handled by one agency. It's a massive, ongoing operation that involves dozens of government departments, national laboratories,…
How America Responds to Nuclear Threats
America's nuclear response system operates around the clock, combining policy, technology, alliances, and public preparedness to prevent nuclear conflict. The system's primary goal is…
How America Plans for Nuclear War
The United States maintains one of the world's most complex nuclear planning systems. It spans everything from high-level strategy documents to detailed emergency instructions…
Inside America’s Trillion-Dollar Military Arsenal
Explore America's military weapons, the public choices behind their budgets, and why maintenance, readiness and industrial capacity shape their usefulness.