The United States is producing nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told lawmakers Thursday, warning that rising threats from China and Iran are forcing Washington to accelerate its nuclear modernization efforts.
“Today, NNSA is delivering more new nuclear weapons and plutonium pits than at any time since the Cold War,” Wright said during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He described the effort as part of a broader American “nuclear renaissance.”
The hearing focused heavily on China’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal, which lawmakers said is reshaping the global balance of power and intensifying pressure on the United States to maintain military superiority.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said China is abandoning its longtime strategy of maintaining only a limited nuclear deterrent and is instead building a much larger and more advanced force under President Xi Jinping.
“China’s building a far larger and more sophisticated nuclear force,” Wicker said.
He pointed to the construction of hundreds of new missile silos, the expansion of mobile missile systems, investments in long-range bombers and the growth of China’s ballistic missile submarine fleet.
“All of these measures flow from and to a strategy designed to surpass the United States in the coming decade,” Wicker added.
Lawmakers also tied China’s military expansion to its broader economic ambitions, including efforts to dominate industries tied to shipbuilding, critical minerals and advanced technologies with military applications.
“Deterrence is expensive, but this is a competition we cannot afford to lose,” Wicker said.
For decades, China maintained what defense analysts described as a “minimum deterrent” nuclear posture. But Pentagon estimates now project China’s arsenal could surpass 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030, a dramatic increase from the more than 600 currently estimated today. By comparison, the United States maintains roughly 3,700 active nuclear warheads.
Wright said the U.S. response involves an aggressive modernization campaign across the entire nuclear triad, including land-based missiles, submarines and strategic bombers.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, America’s nuclear renaissance is here,” Wright said.
Still, some lawmakers questioned whether the nation’s nuclear infrastructure can sustain the pace required to compete with China and address mounting threats abroad.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., warned that the National Nuclear Security Administration is already under strain after the loss of hundreds of trained nuclear specialists last year.
“These experts are exceedingly hard to recruit and retain,” Reed said, noting the agency previously relied on roughly 2,000 personnel to support Pentagon nuclear operations.
Reed also warned that proposals involving expanded nuclear-powered naval systems could further burden an already stretched workforce and production pipeline.
Meanwhile, Wicker criticized the administration for failing to request funding for a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile warhead program, arguing the capability remains necessary as rival nuclear powers continue expanding their arsenals.
“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 turned to Iran’s nuclear program, which officials said is approaching a dangerous threshold.
During questioning from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Wright warned that Iran is only weeks away from enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels.
“They are weeks —a small number of weeks— away to enrich that to weapons grade uranium,” Wright said.
According to Wright, Iran already possesses uranium enriched to 60%, along with significant quantities enriched to 20%, placing the country dangerously close to weapons capability.
“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. “It’s very concerning.”
Asked whether the United States should target Iran’s entire stockpile of enriched uranium, estimated at roughly 12 tons, Wright signaled support for a more aggressive strategy.
“I think that’s the wise strategy,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well.”
Lawmakers also discussed the broader economic risks tied to rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly concerns about disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Wright said the administration was prepared to ensure the continued flow of global energy supplies, with or without a negotiated agreement.
He defended increased nuclear spending as essential to restoring America’s strategic edge.
“We lost our mojo a bit in designing new weapons and modernizing our weapons,” Wright said. “It is absolutely essential that every power in the world believes and understands that the United States has the top nuclear arsenal.”
