Thomas Countryman

Dec 4, 2024 | armscontrol.org | Tong Zhao |Thomas Countryman |Ellie Geranmayeh |Jenny Town

December 2024When Donald Trump begins his second term as U.S. president on January 20, he will assume control of an arsenal of 5,044 nuclear weapons and responsibility for guiding U.S. policy toward nine nuclear-armed states, one state that is dangerously close to becoming nuclear-capable and several conflicts that potentially could escalate to nuclear-weapons use.

Dec 4, 2024 | armscontrol.org | Thomas Countryman

December 2024By Thomas CountrymanDonald Trump steps again into the U.S. presidency at a time when the risk of nuclear conflict remains unacceptably high, at a level not seen since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, nuclear-weapon states are spending tens of billions of dollars to upgrade their arsenals; and the last remaining agreement limiting the Russian and U.S. arsenals, the world’s largest, will expire in 2026.

Jul 19, 2024 | inquirer.com | Thomas Countryman |Alexander Vershbow

The president of the United States has the sole authority and power to launch the nation’s nuclear weapons. Think about that for a moment. Donald Trump’s emotional, erratic, and unhinged behavior during his first term poses a grave threat to our national security. He has driven uncertainty to an aspect of the presidency that requires predictability: the global nuclear balance. This alone renders Trump dangerously unfit to serve as commander in chief.

Sep 12, 2023 | justsecurity.org | Thomas Countryman

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to the annual meeting of the Arms Control Association on June 2, and as organization chairman, it was my honor to introduce him. Sullivan said just what needed to be said about the continuing risk of nuclear conflict: that the Biden administration would continue the long U.S. tradition of leadership in finding ways to reduce that danger.

Mar 1, 2023 | thehill.com | Thomas Countryman

The Iranian regime’s crackdown on peaceful protests in recent months has prompted fresh calls for the Biden administration to disengage with Tehran diplomatically. Not only should Washington scrap the now-stalled negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal, critics argue, it should also cease all ongoing talks around nuclear proliferation.