WASHINGTON – A new U.S. nuclear strategy, reportedly approved by President Biden earlier this year, is said to account for growing global threats and China's rapid nuclear expansion.
While details remain top secret, experts believe a stronger policy is needed for the U.S. to deter nuclear-armed adversaries.
"If you look at the National Defense Strategy Commission...They said, 'As China develops a full-fledged nuclear triad, and Russia threatens to employ nuclear weapons in Ukraine, not to mention continued advancements in the North Korean nuclear arsenal, and the threat of Iranian nuclear proliferation, the U.S. strategic deterrent remains critical,'" Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told CBN News.
In recent speeches, senior Biden administration officials have been given clearance to allude to changes.
"The President recently issued updated nuclear weapons employment guidance to account for multiple nuclear-armed adversaries," Dr. Vipin Narang, Former Asst. Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, said during a recent CSIS speech.
Dr. Narang, an MIT nuclear strategist, said prior to leaving DOD, his office advised the Pentagon on how to plan and posture U.S. forces in the current nuclear landscape.
While Narang isn't calling to grow the U.S. stockpile at this time, he says adjustments to weapons currently deployed may be necessary if adversaries continue down current paths.
"The Pentagon estimates that Beijing had 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May 2023, okay, 500 well compared to what. Well, they're gonna have over 1,000 of those by 2030...that is what some military leaders have called, 'a breathtaking breakout...' What makes it even more reckless, I'd say, and even irresponsible on Beijing's part, is they're doing it with tremendous secrecy, and they're stubbornly refusing to negotiate with us a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The Trump administration has tried, the Biden administration has tried. So we have this whole thing going on with Putin, where he's doing all kinds of crazy stuff, and then we have Beijing, who's unwilling even to talk with us in good faith about some sort of treaty," explained Bowman.
He tells CBN News that whoever becomes president needs to focus on two things when it comes to U.S. nuclear posture.
"I would say, continue to fully modernize...all three legs of our nuclear triad. I would look for opportunities to expedite those as much as possible...and simultaneously, I'd be reaching out diplomatically to Russia and China and saying, we are ready to do real negotiations, real, not fake, negotiations that elicit commitments on both sides that are transparent," Bowman said.
China has expressed concern over reports of a new U.S. nuclear plan, accusing the Biden administration of seeking a "strategic advantage" by peddling a "China nuclear threat" narrative.
The White House says the new plan is not in response to any one country or threat.
In a recent visit to Beijing, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan specifically assured President Xi that Vice President Harris, if elected in November, would continue to responsibly manage the relationship with China.
"She shares President Biden's view that responsibly managing this competition so that it doesn't veer into conflict or confrontation is essential," Sullivan told reporters during a press conference following his discussion with President Xi.
An unclassified account of the new nuclear guidance is expected to be given to Congress before President Biden leaves office.
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