Trump Expresses Desire to Eliminate Nuclear Arsenal. His Initial Tenure as President Hindered Such an Achievement
In the realm between Trump's rhetoric and reality, the shadow of nuclear annihilation looms large.yesterday, during a meeting in the Oval Office, President Trump suggested slashing the U.S. military budget in half and emphasized the need to eliminate nuclear weapons. He questioned the necessity of building new nuclear weapons when the world already possesses enough to "destroy it multiple times over."
To be fair, Trump isn't entirely incorrect. There's an argument to be made that no individual has played a more significant role in making the world a more perilous place regarding nuclear weapons than Trump himself. Throughout his presidency, he dissolved remaining Cold War-era treaties and norms that had successfully kept nuclear weapons at bay for decades.
Let's take a step back in time to 1986, when the global nuclear arsenal peaked at approximately 60,000 weapons, primarily belonging to the U.S. and the Soviet Union. However, starting with Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, world leaders began to disarm, reducing the number of nuclear weapons through agreements, talks, and mutual cooperation. This decline culminated in an estimated total of around 12,100 nuclear weapons today, with the majority still in the possession of Russia and the U.S.
Unfortunately, recent trends show a startling reversal in this positive trajectory. Countries such as China, which has maintained around 300 nuclear weapons for decades, have started to ramp up their nuclear arsenal production. Russia, too, is constructing new and varied nuclear weapons, and the U.S. is investing a staggering $2 trillion to modernize its nuclear forces, including building new submarines and constructing expensive missile silos.
Trump didn't initiate these trends, but his administration certainly accelerated them. For instance, when Obama negotiated a deal with Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Trump scrapped the agreement considerably. Iran, now less inclined to negotiate with the U.S., has stepped up its efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon. Israel, emboldened by recent military victories, is reportedly considering a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump's rejection of diplomacy was not limited to Iran. He unilaterally withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which had limited the deployment of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles between the U.S. and Russia for decades. The treaty, signed by Reagan and Gorbachev, is now effectively defunct.
Moreover, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Open Skies Treaty, a pact that allowed rival nations to fly aircraft over each other's territory to monitor compliance with agreements. Now, mutual trust is at an all-time low, and the risk of nuclear war has significantly increased.
The remaining nuclear control treaty between the U.S. and Russia, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), will expire next year unless both parties agree to renew it. However, Russia has suspended its participation in the agreement, and Trump has been highly critical of the treaty throughout his presidency.
Limiting the use of nuclear weapons and reducing their number necessitates a delicate and complex level of trust between adversaries. The treaties weren't just agreements, but comprehensive documents that constructed monitoring regimes and fostered cooperation between countries to ensure peace. Trump, unfortunately, undermined this cooperation and allowed trust to erode.
Despite his words, Trump's actions have led to a less secure world and a more dangerous existence for those living in it. His administration has made the acquisition of nuclear weapons more appealing to nations and has paved the way for a potential nuclear war. Let's hope future leaders can learn from Trump's mistakes and work towards a future where nuclear weapons are a thing of the past.
- In response to Trump's suggestions, some tech advocates propose using advanced technology to monitor and verify nuclear disarmament, suggesting it could serve as a more cost-effective alternative to constructing new nuclear weapons.
- Yesterday's discussion about nuclear weapons also brought up the issue of future energy sources, with some arguing that focusing on renewable technology could alleviate the need for nuclear power, thereby lessening the threat of nuclear weapons.
- Regarding Trump's proposals, there's a range of opinions among tech companies on how to navigate the future of nuclear weapons, with some agreeing to his ideas while others advocate for diplomacy and arms control.
- Despite Trump's stance on nuclear weapons, many tech companies continue to invest in nuclear technology for energy production, agreeing that a safer world lies in the advancement of nuclear safety and non-proliferation.
