Looks like we’ll get some nuke news here at the #DeterrenceSymposium. DOD apparently will discuss upgrade to nuke strategy that “emphasizes the possible use of shorter-range tactical weapons in case of a regional war with China or Russia.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...

Pentagon drafting a new U.S. nuclear strategy in case of regional war with China or Russia, sources say

The classified strategy informs nuclear options for the commander in chief during crises.

nbcnews.com

I’m in Omaha for STRATCOM’s deterrence symposium. Looking forward to learning more about how nuke posture is evolving in the growing strategic competition. Background: www.stratcomds.com/2026/agenda

This weekend, USA celebrates its 250th anniversary under the shadow of the Trump regime. Still far from the ”more perfect Union,” the country has been moving backward fast under a corrupt and tyrannical Trump. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/w... Can it right itself?

After yesterday’s B-2 flyover of Washington DC, two B-52s have just arrived in the area. Part of 250-year anniversary celebrations.

This remains a stunning document. Wendy Sherman has called it unconditional surrender. It does not resolve the nuclear issue in Iran, and provides Iran with more than it had ever dreamed of before. thinkingnuclear.substack.com/p/trumps-ira...

Interesting analysis from Fabian Hinz: Available evidence strongly suggests that Russia’s Zircon is not a hypersonic cruise missile but rather a maneuverable quasi-ballistic system using rocket propulsion. luftlage.substack.com/p/not-quite-...

Not Quite a Diamond

Reassessing Russia’s Zircon Missile

luftlage.substack.com

As INF missile race heats up in Europe less than a decade after Russia cheated and Trump abandoned IRF treaty, defense industry is offering new systems. www.aerotime.aero/articles/sof...

Soframe, Thales, ArianeGroup detail B-Strike at Eurosatory

At Eurosatory 2026, Soframe, Thales and ArianeGroup presented X-Fire and B-Strike as a sovereign French deep-strike architecture spanning 150 to 2,500 km.

aerotime.aero

Russia sent Su-24MR tactical reconnaissance aircraft close to Swedish airspace to probe defenses in two locations. Swedish Defense PR: x.com/forsvarsmakt... Interview: www.svt.se/nyheter/inri...

Försvarsmakten (@Forsvarsmakten) on X

Under fredagen genomförde den svenska incidentberedskapen två insatser med JAS 39 Gripen för att möta ryska stridsflyg i Östersjön nära svenskt luftrum. Incidenterna involverade två ryska stridsflyg a...

x.com

At recent US-Japan Extended Deterrence Dialogue meeting, Japan strongly encouraged US pursuit of multilateral strategic stability talks to help avert nuclear arms race, address concerns about nuclear testing, reduce nuclear risks, and bolster transparency. www.state.gov/releases/off...

The United States and Russia both lost a bomber yesterday. A US B-52 strategic bomber crashed at Edwards AFB. A Russian Tu-22M3 intermediate-range bomber crashed near Belaya AB. Accidents and Ukraine war have reduced T-22M3 fleet to around 20 operational aircraft (h/t @vcdgf555.bsky.social).

The US is falling behind on renewable energy because of Trump and red tape. A standard 7-kilowatt solar system that costs $28,000 to install here, would cost only $4,000 in Australia or $10,000 in Germany. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/o...

Opinion | The Tiny Solar Panel That Could Change America

nytimes.com

After having slashed government agencies and fired tens of thousands of employees while celebrating their loss with a chainsaw dance, Musk returned to his business empire with billions more in new government contracts and is now the world’s first trillionaire. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

While Congress is working to pass the Trump regime’s defense budget - the biggest ever, GAO report finds DOD’s costliest weapon programs consistently exceed cost estimates and delivery schedules, wasting billions of dollars and decades of time. www.gao.gov/products/gao...

U.S. GAO - Weapon Systems Acquisition: Beyond Business as Usual—Using Leading Practices to Curb Waste and Save Billions

Since 1990, DOD’s costliest weapon programs have consistently exceeded cost estimates and delivery schedules—wasting billions of dollars and decades...

gao.gov

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, poll finds Trump phenomenon and hardship have corrosive effect on how Americans view their country. apnews.com/article/ap-p...

Our updated world nuclear arsenal overview in the SIPRI Yearbook is now public. Honored to assemble, with @mattkorda.bsky.social, this annual production with @sipri.org to assist the public debate about the status and future of nuclear weapons. Press release: www.sipri.org/media/press-...

I spoke with @jonasolsson.bsky.social about our new nuke number estimates and the scrambling in Europe for nuclear and conventional deterrence fixes given Trump’s undermining of US credibility and security guarantee. breakingdefense.com/2026/06/macr...

Macron’s nuclear pact expands across Scandinavia as global forces surges - Breaking Defense

Norway is just the latest ally to open discussions with Paris about France’s extended nuclear deterrence initiative.

breakingdefense.com

Great brief from @warinthefuture.bsky.social mickryan.substack.com/p/highway-to... Only one quibble about new construction in China: interviewed “broadly agreed the infrastructure supports China’s nuclear programme” + “points toward a second-strike hardening programme.” Don’t see evidence for that.

Highway to Hell: Ukraine's Logistics Lockdown, Taiwan’s Littoral Command and China’s Evolving Nuclear Capability. The Big Five, 31 May edition.

My weekly update. This week, Ukraine's logistic lockdown and its integration with tactical and deep strike operations, the new Taiwanese Littoral Combat Command and my Big 5 recommended reads.

mickryan.substack.com

The corruption of the Trump regime is astounding. After a frivolous $10 billion lawsuit against the US tax agency (IRS), a “settlement” ordered by Trump’s former lawyer - now acting Attorney General - ordered IRS to end audits of Trump and his family. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/u...

Trump picks mortgage boss with no intelligence experience…to head US intelligence. But he’s loyal. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec... The new $250 bill should have label: “In incompetence we trust.”

Trump picks mortgage chief Bill Pulte to lead on national intelligence

Pulte, head of a mortgage regulation agency and a loyalist to President Donald Trump, will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who is leaving as director of national intelligence.

washingtonpost.com

It’s hard to fathom why more countries would be interested in nuke arrangement with the US at a time when confidence in the US security commitment is in doubt. Plus, if current arrangements aren’t sufficient, why would more make a difference? www.ft.com/content/1a32...

US in talks to expand nuclear weapons deployments in Europe

Washington has signalled openness to additional countries hosting nuclear-capable bombers

ft.com

Tranquil view during interesting conference at Protestant Academy Loccum in Germany discussing nuclear security issues in Europe. Lots of interesting speakers and views. Happy to contribute. www.landeskirche-hannovers.de/presse

Less than 6 months from US midterm elections, Trump has lied over 100 times past 6 months that 2020 election was rigged. Two-thirds of Republicans believe him. Even more wrongly think large numbers of fraudulent ballots are cast by non-citizens. politiko.com.ph/2026/05/26/t... 🤪

Trump claims 2020 election 'rigged' at least 107 times in six months as midterms loom

President Donald Trump has repeated his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him at least 107 times in the last six months, keeping the grievance front and center even as he faces new po...

politiko.com.ph

So I guess this means he is not. 🧐

Happy to have consulted with @reuters.com about the mysterious constructions in China's western desert region. www.reuters.com/graphics/CHI... I do not, however, see indications at this point that link this construction to Chinese nuclear forces. But certainly an interesting discovery.

MORE NUKES! The Trump regime has begun review of US nuke strategy that apparently doesn’t include some of the usual participants. Some of them advocate for not just increasing strategic warheads and the new SLCM-N, but also a new air and ground tac nukes. www.realcleardefense.com/articles/202...

1. Announcement of new Norwegian-French defense agreement provides more texture about new French “forward deterrence” doctrine that now involves 9 European countries. www.regjeringen.no/en/whats-new...

Other than sabotage, retribution, and grifting, the Trump regime doesn’t really have much else to offer. The next crazy idea is to halt international flights to major cities as punishment for policies the Orange king and his attack dog don’t like. thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Mullin ‘drawing up plans’ to halt international flight processing in ‘sanctuary cities’

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said late Tuesday he is “drawing up plans” to end the processing of international flights in left-leaning cities, pointing to protests outside an immigr…

thehill.com

While engaged in unprecedented (by post-Cold War standards) nuke arsenal enhancements, competition, and arms control dismantlement, the nuke states managed to water down and eventually prevent final consensus declaration at Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference. news.un.org/en/story/202...

Review of landmark nuclear treaty breaks up without consensus, raising arms race fears

After four weeks of negotiations at UN Headquarters in New York, the 11th Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ended on Friday without consensus on a final declaration.

news.un.org

Remember when it mattered if presidents lied? With Trump and his regime, the lie is routine. And this from people who babble about honor, family values and bible morals. CNN fact-checked some of the lies from just the past five days. www.cnn.com/2026/05/23/p...

Fact check: 28 separate false claims Trump made this week | CNN Politics

There is so much going on in the news that it can be easy to overlook the fact that the president continues to tell a whole lot of lies.

cnn.com

The Trump regime has ordered installation of its propaganda app on phones of all government employees, a move that creates security risks. www.govexec.com/management/2...