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Chris, Zack, and Melanie sit down to talk about America’s nuclear policy. Are we in a new “nuclear age,” as some Biden administration officials and experts have argued? Does a bleak security environment, where China is rapidly building up its nuclear arsenal and Russia is threatening to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, mean the United States should develop more and different nuclear weapons? Should we be more open to allies and partners going nuclear?

Chris is grateful for foundations who support serious policy research, including the Stanton Foundation, which has just made a $45 million gift to MIT’s Security Studies Program, Zack has a grievance for the corrupt government of Venezuela, and Melanie (again) laments the bipartisan opposition to Nippon Steel buying US Steel.

Episode Reading

• Brad Roberts, “The Next Chapter in US Nuclear Policy,” The Washington Quarterly,

• Vipin Narang, “Nuclear Threats and the Role of Allies,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, August 1, 2024.

• Pranay Vaddi, “The US Arms Control Agenda,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 18, 2024.

• “America’s Strategic Posture: The Final Report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States,” Senate Armed Services Committee, October 2023.

• Alexandra Alper, “US Fears Nippon Bid for US Steel Could Hit Vital Steel Supplies,” Reuters, September 5, 2024.

• Lauren Frayer and Steve Inskeep, “Blinken to meet with U.K. prime minister for talks on Ukraine and Gaza,” National Public Radio, September 9, 2024.
• Lauren Frayer and Fatima Al-Kassab, “5 things to know about the U.K.’s suspension of some arms exports to Israel,” National Public Radio, September 3, 2024.
• Peter Dizikes, “Enabled by a significant gift, MIT’s Security Studies Program launches the Center for Nuclear Security Policy,” MIT News, September 4, 2024.

Image: Navy photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons