• Former President Trump calls for a new nuclear arms agreement with Russia to avert an "unrestrained build-up" as the New START treaty nears expiration.
  • He reiterates a hardline stance that Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, signaling a return to a policy of maximum pressure.
  • Recent movements of U.S. nuclear submarines in response to Russian threats highlight escalating military posturing and the risks of miscalculation.

A Push for a New Deal

Former President Donald Trump is advocating for a new or interim agreement to preserve strategic nuclear arms limits between the United States and Russia, according to people familiar with his recent statements. This push comes with the New START treaty, the last major pact constraining the world's two largest nuclear arsenals, set to expire soon. Trump has emphasized that without a deal, both nations would be free to deploy more warheads, a scenario he described as posing a "great danger" and potentially triggering a renewed arms race.

Efforts to secure a successor agreement have so far yielded no significant progress as of July 2025. Arms control experts have supported the intent to maintain limits but warn that the diplomatic window is closing rapidly. The expiration would remove the last remaining verification and deployment caps, a situation that has not existed for decades.

Firm Line on Iran

Parallel to the Russia concerns, Trump has repeatedly stressed that Iran cannot be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. This position, reiterated both on the campaign trail and in recent policy discussions, signals a willingness to return to a strategy of maximum pressure. The stance complicates ongoing, already stalled, international negotiations involving the EU, China, and Russia regarding Iran's nuclear program. A spokesperson for Trump's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the specific diplomatic conditions being considered, but previous statements have indicated openness only if Iran halts its nuclear advancement.

Military Signals and Rising Tensions

The rhetoric around nuclear dangers is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened military activity. In a recent response to new threats from Moscow, Trump ordered two U.S. nuclear-powered submarines into "appropriate regions," a move seen by analysts as a significant escalation in military signaling. This kind of posturing, while intended as a show of strength, draws warnings from arms control advocates who fear it increases the risk of miscalculation or accidental conflict at a time of extreme sensitivity.

The convergence of these events—the impending treaty expiration, the firm line on Iran, and visible military movements—has rekindled public and expert debate over nuclear weapons policy. The overarching concern is that the erosion of long-standing arms control frameworks could lead to a more unstable and unpredictable global order.