Washington, United States – Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that the United States is facing an “unprecedented increase” in the global nuclear threat in its history, stressing that the actions of US President Donald Trump prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but he warned of the need for continued vigilance.
“A decisive decade” and the end of the Cold War model
During his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Risch explained that for the first time in history, the world faces a threat from “two nuclear powers of equal standing, Russia and China,” along with threats from smaller and unstable powers such as North Korea, and powers seeking to acquire nuclear weapons such as Iran.
Resch said the United States had entered a “decisive decade” in which the old arms control structure was no longer relevant, asserting: “The Cold War arms control model is over. It has been destroyed by our adversaries, and now it only limits the American nuclear arsenal, while China and Russia take advantage of our goodwill.”
The committee chairman accused Russia and China of weakening cooperation in arms control and continuing to develop their nuclear capabilities in parallel.
Praise for Trump’s decision against Iran
Speaking about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Resch said: “We must not ignore rogue states with nuclear ambitions.”
He noted that President Trump “took steps earlier this year to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities,” and that these steps prevented a “dangerous ideological regime” from acquiring a weapon that would threaten the United States, Israel, and the rest of the world.
He continued, warning, “But the Iranian regime will not stop there, and we must remain vigilant.”
North Korea is taking advantage of the Ukrainian war
Resch then turned to North Korea, noting that Kim Jong Un continues to reject disarmament talks and is working to expand his nuclear capabilities.
He added that Pyongyang has benefited from the Ukrainian war and is likely to receive technical assistance from Moscow in the areas of space and military capabilities, in exchange for sending equipment to Russia, assistance that could bolster North Korea’s nuclear program.
Updating the nuclear triad and the future of the START treaty
Regarding the biggest challenge, Risch accused the Joe Biden administration of extending the New START treaty without amending it, effectively giving Russia the green light to suspend its obligations after its invasion of Ukraine.
With the New START treaty expiring in February, Risch said the United States faces a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to seize the initiative in negotiations, asserting: “It’s time to abandon the illusion of trusting Putin.”
To contain China, Risch stressed the need for the United States to modernize its nuclear triad, noting that underinvestment in recent years has undermined U.S. national security. He concluded by asserting that “the time has come to rebuild and establish a strong and credible deterrent.”
