U.S. Nuclear Weapons Production Reaches Highest Level Since Cold War Amid Concerns Over Arsenal Strain and Arms Race Risks

The United States is producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told lawmakers on Thursday. "Today, NNSA is delivering more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War," Wright said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

U.S. Nuclear renaissance, with seven major warhead programs underway simultaneously. Wright said thanks to President Trump's leadership, America's nuclear renaissance is here. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker warned that China is moving beyond a minimum deterrence posture.

Wicker said China is building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear force under Chinese President Xi Jinping. China is engaged in rapid construction of hundreds of new missile silos and has expanded mobile missile systems, ballistic missile submarines, and investments in long-range bombers. Pentagon estimates project China’s arsenal could exceed 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030.

China has more than 600 operational nuclear warheads today. By comparison, the United States maintains roughly 3,700 active nuclear warheads in its stockpile. A member of the People's Liberation Army stands near DF-5C nuclear missiles during a military parade in Beijing, China, on Sept.

3, 2025. E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming on July 9, 2025. U.S. Effort. The National Nuclear Security Administration dismissed hundreds of trained nuclear personnel last year. The agency previously had roughly 2,000 personnel supporting Pentagon nuclear requirements.

Sen. Jack Reed warned that the National Nuclear Security Administration is already under strain. "These experts are exceedingly hard to recruit and retain," Reed said. He cautioned that new proposals could further stretch resources.

Roger Wicker criticized the administration for failing to request funding for a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead program. "The United States cannot afford to forego credible, flexible response options while our adversaries' nuclear forces grow day by day," he said. The hearing also addressed Iran's nuclear program.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Iran is weeks — a small number of weeks — away from enriching uranium to weapons grade. Iran already possesses uranium enriched to 60% and possesses significant quantities of uranium enriched to 20%. Iran’s full stockpile of enriched uranium is estimated at roughly 12 tons.

U.S. should target Iran’s full stockpile of enriched uranium, Wright said he thinks that is the wise strategy and that the ultimate goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well. "When you're at 60%, you are … way more than 90% of the way there for the enrichment necessary for weapons grade uranium," he said.

Tensions with Iran have raised concerns about potential disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Wright said a whole administration was well aware of the risk of disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Would ensure the free movement of oil through the region either in an agreement or without a deal. Wright defended the administration’s nuclear funding requests. U.S. lost its mojo a bit in designing new weapons and modernizing our weapons.

"It is absolutely essential that every power in the world believes and understands that the United States has the top nuclear arsenal," Wright said. A ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Plesetsk facility in northwestern Russia during drills on Dec. 9, 2020.

Fox News reported these developments.