U.S. Nuclear Deterrence Faces a Two-Superpower Stress Test
At the Aspen Ideas Festival, Gillian Tett led a panel on whether mutually assured destruction can still stabilize a nuclear order no longer defined by a U.S.-Soviet rivalry. Christine Wormuth argued that the collapse of arms-control limits and China’s buildup have made this the most dangerous period of her national security career; Matthew Kroenig said the United States needs more nuclear capacity to deter Russia and China at once; and Jane Harman warned that weapons modernization without political strategy could deepen the risks it is meant to contain.
The Aspen Institute·Jun 28, 2026·21 min read
