Trump call for U.S. nuclear expansion

President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of a new arms race, saying he wants the United States to rebuild its nuclear arsenal so that it remains “top of the pack”

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ESTIMATED NUCLEAR WEAPON STOCKPILES: 1960-2017

Warheads (000s) Global (stockpile and retired) U.S. Russia

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

1962: Cuban missile crisis

1972 SALT* I

1979 SALT II

1989: Fall of Berlin Wall

1991 START†

2010 New START‡

2002 SORT§

* Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty

† Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty

‡ Treaty requires that by Feb 2018, U.S. and Russia must limit their arsenals of strategic nuclear weapons to equal levels for 10 years

§ Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty

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2017 stockpiles (estimated)

Russia  4,300 1,950

U.S. 4,000 1,740

Deployed

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Source: FAS Picture: DOD Defense Visual Information Centre © GRAPHIC NEWS