Biden Approves Classified Nuclear Strategy to Address Growing Global Threats

Biden’s Secret Nuclear Strategy Approved

In a significant move, President Biden approved a highly classified nuclear strategy in March that aims to recalibrate America’s deterrent stance in light of the rapid expansion of China’s nuclear capabilities. The Pentagon has assessed that China’s nuclear stockpile could soon rival those of the United States and Russia within the next decade.

The revised strategy, referred to as the Nuclear Employment Guidance, marks a pivotal shift as it prepares for potential coordinated nuclear threats from not just China, but also Russia and North Korea. This approach underscores a new era in nuclear strategy where the convergence of threats from multiple adversaries is taken into serious consideration.

This pivotal document, which is typically updated every four years, is classified to such a degree that there are no electronic copies available; only a limited number of hard copies have been distributed to a select group of officials. Two officials from the Biden administration have been permitted to reference the changes in their recent speeches, with a more detailed and unclassified notification to Congress anticipated before Biden completes his term.

The release of this new guidance serves as a stark reminder that the upcoming presidential election will usher in a leader who will face a nuclear landscape that is markedly different and significantly more volatile compared to just three years ago.

Context:

• Historically, the prospect of U.S. adversaries coordinating to exploit vulnerabilities in the nation’s nuclear arsenal seemed unlikely.
• However, the evolving partnership between Russia and China, coupled with the conventional arms support that North Korea and Iran are extending to Russia for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, has fundamentally reshaped Washington’s strategic outlook.