The Trump Administration has just released its Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), a document that calls for new nuclear capabilities and shatters a decades-old bipartisan consensus that reduced the role of nuclear weapons in American national security strategy. In this episode of our podcast, we dive into the NPR with nuclear experts Dr. Adam Mount, Anthony […]
The Nuclear Triad
“The Nuclear Triad” defines the three strategic delivery systems in the U.S. nuclear arsenal: land-based missiles, submarine-based missiles, and weapons delivered via heavy bombers. As the United States is set to spend over $1 trillion sustaining and rebuilding this arsenal, we take a look into the triad’s history and future with Dr. Alex Wellerstein, a […]
Decertifying Without Cause
Citing no substantive evidence, President Trump announced that he would not certify the Iran nuclear agreement, setting up a 60-day window for Congress to potentially re-impose nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. This episode dives into why Congress should do what it does best — nothing — with Tess Bridgeman, a former Deputy Legal Adviser to the […]
Cooperative Threat Reduction or: How I Stopped Worrying and Got Rid of the Bomb
When the Cold War ended, four separate countries suddenly inherited the former Soviet nuclear arsenal. Destroying and removing those weapons was a herculean effort, and it couldn’t have been done without the bipartisan leadership of two U.S. Senators. We tell the story with Senators Nunn and Lugar, as well as former Assistant Secretary of Defense […]
The Once and Future Framework
Download the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or SoundCloud. In 1994, the United States negotiated an agreement with North Korea that curbed its nuclear ambitions for eight years. The collapse of the agreement offers lessons for diplomatic efforts today. Amidst heated rhetoric between President Trump and North Korean leadership, this episode dives into the agreement with North Korea experts […]
