The United States is now producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, as Washington races to counter China’s rapidly expanding arsenal and mounting fears surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Wright described what he called a full-scale American “nuclear renaissance” underway under the Trump administration.
“Today, NNSA is delivering more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War,” Wright testified.
That statement alone would have been headline-worthy a decade ago. But inside the hearing room, it was clear lawmakers view the situation as far more urgent now than at any point since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
At the center of those concerns is China.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker warned that Beijing is rapidly abandoning its long-held “minimum deterrence” nuclear posture and aggressively building a much larger and more advanced strategic arsenal under President Xi Jinping.
“China’s building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear force,” Wicker said.
He pointed to the construction of hundreds of new missile silos, expanding mobile missile systems, upgraded ballistic missile submarines, and heavy investment in long-range bomber capabilities.
“All of these measures flow from and to a strategy designed to surpass the United States in the coming decade,” Wicker warned.
For decades, China maintained a relatively limited nuclear stockpile compared to the United States and Russia. That is changing fast.
Pentagon estimates now project China could possess more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030. Current estimates already place Beijing above 600 warheads and climbing rapidly. The United States still maintains a significantly larger stockpile — roughly 3,700 active warheads — but American officials increasingly worry about the speed and scale of China’s buildup.
Wicker argued the CCP’s nuclear expansion is part of a much broader geopolitical strategy that combines military modernization with dominance in shipbuilding, critical minerals, manufacturing, and dual-use technologies.
“Deterrence is expensive,” Wicker said. “But this is a competition we cannot afford to lose.”
In response, Wright outlined a sweeping modernization effort across the entire U.S. nuclear triad — land-based missiles, submarines, and strategic bombers — with seven major warhead development programs currently underway simultaneously.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, America’s nuclear renaissance is here,” Wright declared.
Still, not everyone on the committee sounded fully reassured.
Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, warned that America’s nuclear infrastructure may already be strained dangerously thin. He pointed specifically to the loss of hundreds of highly trained nuclear personnel last year and concerns about whether the National Nuclear Security Administration can sustain the current pace of modernization.
“These experts are exceedingly hard to recruit and retain,” Reed cautioned.
According to Reed, the agency previously relied on roughly 2,000 personnel dedicated to supporting Pentagon nuclear operations, and staffing shortages could become a major long-term problem as modernization demands intensify.
The hearing also exposed tensions over future weapons systems.
Wicker criticized the administration for not requesting funding for a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead, arguing that failing to pursue flexible deterrence options while adversaries continue expanding their arsenals is strategically dangerous.
“The United States cannot afford to forego credible, flexible response options while our adversaries’ nuclear forces grow day by day,” Wicker said.
Then came Iran.
When questioned by Sen. Richard Blumenthal about Tehran’s nuclear program, Wright delivered an assessment likely to intensify already soaring tensions.
“They are weeks — a small number of weeks — away to enrich that to weapons grade uranium,” Wright warned.
Iran currently possesses uranium enriched up to 60%, according to U.S. officials, along with large quantities enriched to 20%. Wright explained that once enrichment reaches 60%, the remaining leap to weapons-grade material becomes relatively small.
“When you’re at 60%, you are way more than 90% of the way there,” he said. “It’s very concerning.”
Blumenthal asked whether the United States should seek to eliminate Iran’s entire stockpile of enriched uranium — estimated around 12 tons.
Wright indicated strong support for that approach.
“I think that’s the wise strategy,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well.”
The Iran discussion also touched off concerns about global energy markets and the risk of conflict disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping chokepoints.
Wright acknowledged the White House has long understood those risks but insisted the administration would ensure oil continues flowing through the region “either in an agreement … or without a deal.”
