Pentagon Develops Nuclear Strategy with Broader Options for President

The Pentagon is developing a nuclear strategy that would give the US president a wider range of nuclear options in a potential conflict with Russia or China, NBC reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans. The proposed approach would reportedly place greater emphasis on shorter-range tactical nuclear weapons in regional conflicts, rather than relying primarily on long-range strategic nuclear weapons. According to NBC, the classified review is intended to address potential scenarios in which US allies come under attack from Russia or China in a regional conflict. It is reportedly being overseen by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. US defense officials told NBC the aim is to provide the president with more “realistic and credible” nuclear options, arguing that a broader range of choices would “strengthen deterrence.” The reported review comes about six months after the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining bilateral agreement limiting US and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals. Signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, the treaty capped each side at 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 700 deployed delivery systems, while providing for transparency and on-site verification measures. It expired in February without a replacement. Despite the treaty’s expiration, Moscow said it had no intention of being “the first to take steps towards escalation” by increasing the number of warheads, provided the US took the same approach. Before the treaty lapsed, Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed that Moscow and Washington continue observing its limits for another year while negotiating a replacement. US President Donald Trump said he wanted a “better” agreement that includes China. Beijing, whose nuclear arsenal is estimated at around 600 warheads, rejected joining such talks, saying the countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should bear the primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament. Moscow then said that any expanded agreement should also cover nuclear-armed NATO members France and the UK. Russia updated its nuclear doctrine in 2024, stating that aggression by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear power would be treated as a joint attack and that nuclear weapons could be used if conventional aggression posed a critical threat to the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Russia or its ally, Belarus. Moscow has consistently criticized the deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe as part of NATO’s nuclear-sharing arrangements. While it has stated that it has no intention of attacking any NATO nation, it has warned that it would target its nuclear arsenal at countries hosting such weapons aimed at Russia.