In order to handle any coordinated nuclear conflicts with North Korea, China, and Russia, President Joe Biden has approved a revamped nuclear policy. The administration’s response to the fast changing global nuclear landscape—where old arms control agreements are waning and new dangers are emerging—is reflected in this decision, which was first reported by The New York Times.
The Nuclear Employment Guidance was authorized earlier this year, according to the White House. While “the specific text of the guidance is classified,” its existence is not, according to White House spokesman Sean Savett. The policy is a reflection of the larger global nuclear environment rather than a reaction to any one nation or urgent threat.
Russia’s increasingly belligerent posture and worries about China’s nuclear build-up are what are prompting the change in U.S. nuclear policy. Within the next ten years, China’s fast expanding nuclear arsenal is predicted to surpass that of the United States and Russia, which is causing concern in Washington. Global concerns have been heightened by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons on Ukraine.
The U.S. nuclear posture is still in line with the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review despite these escalating threats. According to Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association, Russia’s 4,000 warheads continue to be the key influence on U.S. nuclear policy, even though China’s arsenal may treble to 1,000 warheads by 2030.
Biden’s approval of the revised guidance in March marks a departure from years of nuclear arms reduction efforts. With tensions rising globally, this shift underscores the U.S. administration’s readiness to face a multi-front nuclear challenge, reflecting a strategic pivot as the global balance of nuclear power shifts.
As the last major nuclear arms control agreement with Russia, the New START treaty, nears its expiration in 2026, the U.S. faces the reality of a more complex and potentially dangerous nuclear landscape.