U.S. producing nuclear weapons at Cold War levels, Energy Secretary says

The United States is producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, Energy Minister Chris Wright told lawmakers on Thursday, as officials warned of increasing nuclear threats from a rapidly expanding Chinese arsenal and Iran.

“Today the NNSA is introducing more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War,” Wright said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, describing what he called a broader U.S. “nuclear renaissance.”

The increase comes as China embarks on what lawmakers describe as an “unprecedented” expansion of its nuclear forces, raising concerns in Washington about the shifting global balance of power.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., warned that Beijing has moved beyond its minimum deterrence posture and is building a much larger and more complex nuclear arsenal under Chinese President Xi Jinping.

SENDING TO THE PENTAGON REPORT, THE EXPERT WARNED NAZI GERMANY, WHICH CHINA RUNS THE LARGEST MILITARY STRUCTURE SINCE THE 1930s.

“China is building a much larger and more complex nuclear power,” Wicker said, pointing to the rapid construction of hundreds of new missile silos, expanded mobile missile systems, investments in ballistic missile submarines and long-range bombers. “All of these measures stem from a strategy designed to outpace the United States over the next decade.”

China’s nuclear buildup comes alongside a broader effort to translate economic power into military advantage, including dominance in shipbuilding, critical minerals and key dual-use technologies, Wicker said.

“Deterrence is expensive, but this is a competition we can’t afford to lose,” he said.

For decades, China has maintained a relatively small “minimum deterrent” nuclear posture, but U.S. officials now say Beijing is building a larger, more survivable force across land, sea and air platforms. The Pentagon estimates that the number of operational nuclear warheads in China’s arsenal could exceed 1,000 by 2030, up from more than 600 today. By comparison, the United States maintains approximately 3,700 active nuclear warheads in its stockpile.

Wright argued that the United States responded with a comprehensive modernization effort, running seven major warhead programs simultaneously to ensure that each leg of the nuclear triad remained operational.

“America’s nuclear renaissance is here, thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” Wright said.

But some lawmakers have expressed concerns about whether the U.S. nuclear establishment can maintain that pace.

During exercises on December 9, 2020, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk facility in northwestern Russia. Russia’s top diplomat said Moscow is ready for a quick deal with the incoming Biden administration to extend the latest arms control agreement, which expires in just over two weeks. (Press Service of the Russian Ministry of Defense/AP)

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., warned that the National Nuclear Security Administration was already under pressure, especially after the dismissal of hundreds of trained nuclear personnel last year.

“It is extremely difficult to recruit and retain these experts,” Reed said, noting that the agency previously had about 2,000 staff supporting the Pentagon’s nuclear needs.

Reed also warned that new proposals, including expanded nuclear-powered naval capabilities, could further stretch resources and increase demand for warhead production that the agency already struggles to meet.

Wicker, meanwhile, criticized the administration for not requesting funding for the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead program, saying it was a matter of complying with existing laws.

“As our enemies’ nuclear forces grow every day, the United States cannot afford to give up credible, flexible response options,” he said.

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Energy Minister Chris Wright said Sunday that gas prices will eventually “fall to lower levels than they were before” when the war with Iran began in late February. (Ana Lopez/Getty Images)

The hearing also highlighted growing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.

Under questioning from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Wright said Iran is close to reaching a significant threshold.

“They are weeks – a small number of weeks – away from enriching this into weapons-grade uranium,” Wright said.

He noted that Iran already has uranium enriched up to 60 percent, as well as significant amounts of uranium enriched up to 20 percent, putting it dangerously close to weapons-grade capacity.

“Once you get to 60%, you are well over 90% of the way to enrichment required for weapons-grade uranium,” he said. “This is very worrying.”

Asked whether the United States should target Iran’s entire stockpile of enriched uranium, estimated at about 12 tons, Wright said he supported an aggressive approach.

DEPUTY PHYSICIST WARNED US THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR PLAN FOR IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM

A member of the People’s Liberation Army stands next to DF-5C nuclear missiles during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

“I think this is a smart strategy. After all, the goal is to prevent the enrichment of uranium in the future,” he said.

Tensions with Iran have also increased concerns about global energy markets, especially the risk of disruption in the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

“The entire administration was very aware of this risk,” Wright said when asked if the White House had anticipated the possible consequences.

Answering the question of how to reduce the impact on American households, Wright underlined the restoration of global energy flows and said that the United States would ensure the free movement of oil in the region “either with a deal or without a deal.”

An unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III missile sits inside the U-01 silo at FE Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, July 9, 2025. (Staff Sgt. Michael A. Richmond/U.S. Air Force)

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Wright defended the administration’s push to increase funding for nuclear programs, arguing that this was critical to restoring U.S. strategic dominance.

“We lost some of our excitement in designing new weapons and modernizing our weapons,” he said. “It is absolutely essential that every power in the world believes and understands that the United States has the largest nuclear arsenal.”