United States: The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office predicted America’s nuclear force operating and modernization expenses through 2034 will reach $946 billion, which represents a 25% increase from 2023 estimates, as reported by Reuters. 

The new projection leaves out the 81% cost overrun of the Sentinel program, which represents the advanced intercontinental ballistic missile designed to replace the Trident III missiles used in U.S. ICBM forces, per the report. 

Challenges for the Trump Administration 

According to experts, the significant budget escalation needed to operate and modernize this nuclear force poses challenges for President Donald Trump as he increases defense spending to $1 trillion in fiscal 2026. 

The U.S. government splits its nuclear weapons expenses between the Department of Energy while the Pentagon manages a separate portion. 

Escalating Nuclear Modernization Costs 

“The costs of the existing nuclear modernization program are skyrocketing beyond all expectation, said Daryl Kimball, head of the Arms Control Association, an advocacy group. 

🇺🇸💣📈 U.S. Nuclear Modernization Costs Soar to $946B, Up 25% From 2023 Estimate

🔹 Summary:

The CBO now projects U.S. nuclear force operations and modernization will cost $946 billion through 2034, a 25% jump from last year’s estimate, excluding major overruns in the Sentinel… pic.twitter.com/skMQqfLSVI

— PiQ (@PiQSuite) April 24, 2025

The CBO cautioned that Congress will have to make a decision in the upcoming years over “what nuclear forces the United States should field in the future and, therefore, the extent to which the nation will modernize.” 

Trump’s Stance and Global Nuclear Strategy 

Trump has not revealed his nuclear weapons strategy, and he has not selected key personnel to direct this strategy. Both nations fail to establish a dialogue about arms control negotiations despite the imminent expiration of mandatory restrictions on strategic force deployment between U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals. 

Trump revealed during his February speech that he disapproved of new U.S. nuclear weapon development while pointing out the excessive costs of nuclear force maintenance. 

Trump showed interest in launching deals to regulate nuclear arms along with Beijing as China expanded its atomic stockpile beyond the U.S. and Russia but smaller in scale, as reported by Reuters. 

🇺🇸 U.S. NUCLEAR BUDGET BLOWS PAST $900B

New CBO projections reveal America will spend $946B from 2025–2034 on nuclear forces, up 25% from last year’s estimate.

The Defense and Energy Departments are driving this surge with modernization plans and expanded capabilities,… pic.twitter.com/35RLF4JuSK

— DOGE Tracker (@Tracking_DOGE) April 25, 2025

What’s Behind the $946 Billion Estimate? 

Current plans established by the Department of Energy and the Pentagon to run U.S. strategic and tactical nuclear forces and purchase new bombers, submarines, and ICBMs will cost $946 billion until 2034, according to the CBO. 

According to the report, the CBO projected expenses to be $756 billion from 2023 through 2032. 

The CBO explained that program costs for the development of the Sentinel ICBM and Pentagon nuclear systems modernization, along with DOE production facility upgrades, determined this cost variation in their report. 

The updated projection reaches a higher amount because analysts now extend their analysis by an additional two years compared to the earlier projection. 

United States: A formidable deluge of precipitation, described as “potentially historic” by the National Weather Service (NWS), is relentlessly sweeping through the American South and Midwest, persisting into the weekend. This formidable meteorological upheaval has already claimed multiple lives and continues to imperil both human existence and economic stability for countless individuals across the afflicted territories.   

Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the precise fatality count, yet reports from The Associated Press confirm that at least seven individuals have perished in Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana due to these tumultuous tempests, according to npr.org. 

“This deluge will be an endurance test, not a fleeting ordeal,” the NWS cautioned via a statement on X, forewarning the populace of the protracted nature of these storms. “Any episodes of flash flooding or riverine overflow within these regions hold the grim potential to escalate into catastrophic, life-endangering calamities.”   

Meteorologists have issued dire projections of torrential downpours persisting from Thursday through the early hours of Sunday, with the tempestuous system stretching from Dallas in the southwest to the eastern expanses of West Virginia.   

In tandem with the relentless rainfall, meteorological agencies have raised alarms regarding the imminent threat of tornadoes and abrupt flash floods. As of late Wednesday, Arkansas and Oklahoma had already witnessed the havoc of twisters, while Indiana and Kentucky endured ferocious windstorms on Thursday.   

⚠️This flooding event will be a marathon – not a sprint. Potentially historic rainfall is expected through this weekend from the Ozarks into the Mid-South, Middle Mississippi Valley, and Lower Ohio Valley. Any flash and riverine flooding across these areas will have the potential… pic.twitter.com/xPODCHaeoX

— National Weather Service (@NWS) April 3, 2025

The NWS underscored that southwestern Kentucky, western Tennessee, and northeastern Arkansas stand at the epicenter of the most harrowing peril, as torrents from Wednesday’s unrelenting downpours exacerbate the threat of “life-threatening flash floods,” as per npr.org. 

Regional Reports on the Unfolding Crisis   

 Tennessee   

NPR affiliate WPLN is chronicling the extensive havoc wreaked upon the state, which remains under an official state of emergency due to the storm’s widespread destruction.   

 Kentucky   

Reports from WUKY indicate that local businesses and residents have sustained considerable structural damage and personal injuries. As the tempestuous weather pattern continues its siege, communities brace for additional adversity throughout the weekend.   

 Arkansas   

Little Rock Public Radio has issued urgent warnings that much of the state faces significant meteorological jeopardy, including the potential for hailstones of formidable “baseball-sized” proportions and tornadoes of staggering intensity. The northeastern quadrant of Arkansas remains particularly vulnerable, with meteorologists identifying it as the most imperiled sector of the state, according to npr.org. 

With conditions worsening and the tempest showing no immediate signs of abating, officials urge residents to remain vigilant, seek refuge in secure locations, and adhere strictly to emergency protocols. 

United States: Amid a shifting geopolitical landscape, US officials have discreetly urged European allies to maintain their procurement of American armaments. This diplomatic maneuver follows the European Union’s recent initiatives aimed at bolstering its indigenous defense industry, which could potentially curtail US defense manufacturers’ involvement in European arms contracts. This information has been relayed by five individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions, as reported by Reuters. 

In recent weeks, Washington has intensified its dialogue with European counterparts, emphasizing the strategic importance of transatlantic defense procurement. The EU, in a bid to fortify its defense sector, has begun exploring measures that may inadvertently marginalize American arms producers from lucrative military tenders. 

The early foreign policy direction of the Trump administration—characterized by transient reductions in military assistance to Ukraine and a recalibrated stance on Russia—has sown unease among European nations. Such moves have prompted growing concerns about the United States’ reliability as a strategic ally, according to Reuters. 

In mid-March, the European Commission—the EU’s executive authority—proposed a significant escalation in military expenditure, encouraging joint ventures among member states. This initiative aligns with Europe’s anticipation of a diminishing US military footprint under President Donald Trump’s administration. Analysts suggest that certain provisions within the proposal could constrain the operational scope of non-EU defense contractors, including firms from the United States and the United Kingdom. 

During a March 25 diplomatic engagement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed to the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia that the US remains committed to participating in European defense procurements. Two individuals privy to these discussions indicated that Rubio cautioned against any exclusion of American firms from EU arms contracts, hinting that Washington would interpret such restrictions unfavorably—an apparent allusion to the EU’s proposed regulatory shifts. 

A Northern European diplomat, though absent from the Baltic meeting, corroborated this sentiment, revealing that similar warnings had been communicated by US officials, who view any obstruction to American participation in EU defense tenders as unwarranted. 

Rubio intends to articulate these concerns further in Brussels during his upcoming participation in the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting. A high-ranking State Department official affirmed that this remains a pressing issue on Rubio’s agenda. 

#Duh. Trump said he's going to ship sub-standard weapons to the EU, cut off software updates & stop shipping replacement parts. Europe says we'll buy elsewhere. Trump: What? #Duh

US officials object to European push to buy weapons locally https://t.co/VrJFAJGIRq via @@YahooNews

— Mary Reed, JD (@MaryAReed) April 2, 2025

“This is a subject the Secretary has underscored and will continue to emphasize,” the official stated. 

A spokesperson for the State Department echoed this stance, acknowledging the Trump administration’s support for European endeavors to enhance defense self-sufficiency. However, they cautioned against regulatory frameworks that could sideline US firms from the European defense market. 

“Collaboration between transatlantic defense industries fortifies the Alliance,” the spokesperson asserted. 

Requests for comments directed at the foreign ministries of Latvia and Estonia went unanswered, while Lithuania’s foreign ministry opted to withhold any remarks, according to Reuters. 

US Policy at a Crossroads 

The unease surrounding the EU’s restrictions on arms acquisitions highlights a fundamental dichotomy within the Trump administration’s European strategy. On the one hand, Trump has persistently urged European nations to increase their military spending and assume greater responsibility for regional security. On the other, the EU’s inclination toward self-sufficiency in arms production is a direct response to Washington’s inconsistent commitments to NATO. 

This development, however, contradicts another key objective of the Trump administration—expanding overseas markets for US defense manufacturers. 

The European Commission’s mid-March defense initiative, labeled “ReArm Europe,” unveiled a blueprint to leverage €150 billion ($162 billion) in loans for defense investments across the bloc. While numerous EU governments endorse the vision of a consolidated European defense apparatus, substantial debates persist over governance structures, project leadership, and funding allocations. 

Although the Commission maintains that provisions exist for non-EU enterprises to compete for defense contracts under this framework, industry experts highlight formidable bureaucratic and logistical obstacles that would effectively impede foreign arms manufacturers from securing substantial contracts. 

The Trump administration—consistent with its predecessors—has historically advocated for increased European procurement of American-made weaponry. At the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, US officials reiterated this stance. Nonetheless, sources suggest that Washington has grown increasingly assertive in its messaging as the EU advances its plans for greater defense autonomy, as per Reuters. 

“They are displeased with the ReArm initiative and the exclusion of US defense firms,” one senior European official observed.