U.S. Rejects START Treaty, Citing China’s Nuclear Breakout and Russia’s Violations

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – The Trump administration announced it will no longer abide by the expired New START nuclear arms agreement, arguing the treaty fails to restrain Russia’s expanding arsenal and excludes China’s rapidly growing nuclear forces, according to a senior State Department official.

Speaking Friday at the U.N. Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Thomas G. DiNanno, under secretary of state for arms control and international security, said President Donald Trump is prepared to resume nuclear testing if necessary, citing alleged Russian violations of test bans and covert nuclear tests conducted by China.

DiNanno said the 2010 New START accord, which limited U.S. and Russian nuclear warheads to 1,550, is no longer relevant in 2026 due to what he described as China’s unprecedented nuclear buildup and Russia’s deployment of new nuclear systems not covered by the treaty. “Today marks the end of one era of arms control, and hopefully the beginning of a new one,” he said.

According to the administration, Russia has violated multiple arms agreements in recent years while expanding tactical nuclear weapons and developing novel systems such as the nuclear-powered cruise missile Skyfall and the Poseidon nuclear torpedo. Moscow is also accused of pursuing a space-based nuclear anti-satellite weapon in violation of the Outer Space Treaty.

China’s nuclear expansion was a central focus of the remarks. DiNanno said Beijing is building at least three major intercontinental ballistic missile fields and could exceed 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, all outside any arms control framework. He also alleged China has conducted concealed nuclear explosive tests despite a self-imposed testing moratorium.

The expiration of New START, DiNanno said, allows the United States to strengthen deterrence through modernization programs, including new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles, and B-21 stealth bombers. The administration is calling for a new, enforceable arms control framework that includes both Russia and China, while maintaining what it describes as a credible and modern nuclear deterrent to preserve global stability.

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