Nickolas Roth
@nickolasroth.bsky.social
Nuclear weapons, nuclear security, BBQ, Senior Director
@NTI_WMD, Research Fellow @CISSMaryland. Previously @ManagingtheAtom, @StimsonCenter @UCSUSA etc.
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@NTI_WMD, Research Fellow @CISSMaryland. Previously @ManagingtheAtom, @StimsonCenter @UCSUSA etc.
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Pinned
Nickolas Roth
@nickolasroth.bsky.social
· Mar 10
The Trump administration is proposing a 7% cut to Department of Energy Nonproliferation programs to fund unnecessary nuclear weapons programs. Doesn't sound like much, until you see the long term trend. Obsolescence by a thousand cuts, but the cuts began long before the 2nd Trump administration.
Most important point: “Trust has been difficult to build again.” missionlocal.org/2025/10/navy...
U.S. Navy found elevated plutonium in Bayview — S.F. says it was kept in the dark
San Francisco officials say they weren’t told that the Navy detected plutonium at the Hunters Point Shipyard for 11 months.
missionlocal.org
October 31, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Most important point: “Trust has been difficult to build again.” missionlocal.org/2025/10/navy...
"Even so, she said the latest arrests did not uncover the loot." This is why nuclear security is so important: Once material is stolen, it is very hard to get back. www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
Key details emerge in Louvre jewel heist as 5 more are arrested
Key planning details have snapped into focus.
www.pbs.org
October 31, 2025 at 12:38 PM
"Even so, she said the latest arrests did not uncover the loot." This is why nuclear security is so important: Once material is stolen, it is very hard to get back. www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
I'd argue testing in the hands of anyone is a bad idea, but point well taken.
Testing of nuclear weapons in the hands of Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth. Sounds like a bad idea.
In the 33 years before the U.S. halted nuclear testing in 1992, countries conducted over 1,000 tests. In the 33 years since? Roughly 20. The global moratorium—and the treaty backing it—has curbed both the spread and sophistication of nuclear weapons worldwide.
October 30, 2025 at 2:31 PM
I'd argue testing in the hands of anyone is a bad idea, but point well taken.
Reposted by Nickolas Roth
And has done so to the United States' advantage, even in a narrow military-technical sense.
In the 33 years before the U.S. halted nuclear testing in 1992, countries conducted over 1,000 tests. In the 33 years since? Roughly 20. The global moratorium—and the treaty backing it—has curbed both the spread and sophistication of nuclear weapons worldwide.
October 30, 2025 at 2:11 PM
And has done so to the United States' advantage, even in a narrow military-technical sense.
In the 33 years before the U.S. halted nuclear testing in 1992, countries conducted over 1,000 tests. In the 33 years since? Roughly 20. The global moratorium—and the treaty backing it—has curbed both the spread and sophistication of nuclear weapons worldwide.
October 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
In the 33 years before the U.S. halted nuclear testing in 1992, countries conducted over 1,000 tests. In the 33 years since? Roughly 20. The global moratorium—and the treaty backing it—has curbed both the spread and sophistication of nuclear weapons worldwide.
My point exactly www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/u...
U.S. Officials Concede They Don’t Know Whereabouts of Iran’s Uranium Stockpile
www.nytimes.com
June 22, 2025 at 11:29 PM
My point exactly www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/u...
The administration is either downplaying the risk of unaccounted for weapons useable material in Iran or is unaware. From this morning’s interview with VP vance:
“The UN's Atomic Energy Watchdog said that Iran had 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. Do we know what has become of that?”
“The UN's Atomic Energy Watchdog said that Iran had 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. Do we know what has become of that?”
Full Episode: Sunday, June 22, 2025
Podcast Episode · This Week with George Stephanopoulos · 06/22/2025 · 53m
podcasts.apple.com
June 22, 2025 at 10:52 PM
The administration is either downplaying the risk of unaccounted for weapons useable material in Iran or is unaware. From this morning’s interview with VP vance:
“The UN's Atomic Energy Watchdog said that Iran had 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. Do we know what has become of that?”
“The UN's Atomic Energy Watchdog said that Iran had 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. Do we know what has become of that?”
Want to kill the nuclear renaissance? Tie it to costly, risky, and unnecessary separated plutonium. www.reuters.com/business/ene...
US would assess nuclear waste, plutonium for reactor fuel under draft order
Nuclear waste and radioactive plutonium would be assessed as a fuel for reactors under a draft executive order being considered by the administration of President Donald Trump on expanding nuclear power, moves opposed by nonproliferation experts.
www.reuters.com
May 15, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Want to kill the nuclear renaissance? Tie it to costly, risky, and unnecessary separated plutonium. www.reuters.com/business/ene...
This is the Mona Lisa of my nuclear nightmares.
March 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM
This is the Mona Lisa of my nuclear nightmares.
The Trump administration is proposing a 7% cut to Department of Energy Nonproliferation programs to fund unnecessary nuclear weapons programs. Doesn't sound like much, until you see the long term trend. Obsolescence by a thousand cuts, but the cuts began long before the 2nd Trump administration.
March 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
The Trump administration is proposing a 7% cut to Department of Energy Nonproliferation programs to fund unnecessary nuclear weapons programs. Doesn't sound like much, until you see the long term trend. Obsolescence by a thousand cuts, but the cuts began long before the 2nd Trump administration.
"A 60 percent cut would be significantly more severe, according to the memo. It would fundamentally eliminate America’s role in preventing the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons..." www.wired.com/story/pentag...
Pentagon Cuts Threaten Programs That Secure Loose Nukes and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Documents obtained by WIRED show the US Department of Defense is considering cutting up to 75 percent of workers who stop the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
www.wired.com
March 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
"A 60 percent cut would be significantly more severe, according to the memo. It would fundamentally eliminate America’s role in preventing the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons..." www.wired.com/story/pentag...
"Two weeks after it was hit by a drone, Ukrainian firefighters are still trying to extinguish smouldering fires within the large structure built over the reactor destroyed in the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear accident..." www.iaea.org/newscenter/p...
Update 278 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine | IAEA
www.iaea.org
February 28, 2025 at 6:25 PM
"Two weeks after it was hit by a drone, Ukrainian firefighters are still trying to extinguish smouldering fires within the large structure built over the reactor destroyed in the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear accident..." www.iaea.org/newscenter/p...
Hard to tell the difference between DOGE & threat/adversary behavior. “Even if people don’t send classified information, the aggregation of all this information in one place would become classified information, which is a national security violation..." www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Several administration officials tell workers not to reply to Musk email
Leaders at defense and intelligence offices were particularly wary of Musk’s demand over the weekend asking workers to outline what they did last week.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Hard to tell the difference between DOGE & threat/adversary behavior. “Even if people don’t send classified information, the aggregation of all this information in one place would become classified information, which is a national security violation..." www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
I can’t believe the next NTI Index might have to downgrade the United States for not having an independent nuclear regulator…😡 apnews.com/article/trum...
Trump seeks greater control of independent regulators with his new executive order
President Donald Trump is moving to give the White House direct control of independent federal regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal C...
apnews.com
February 20, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I can’t believe the next NTI Index might have to downgrade the United States for not having an independent nuclear regulator…😡 apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Nickolas Roth
Many of those Elon Musk fired are part of the management team overseeing tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians who build, maintain and guard the U.S. arsenal of some 5,000 nuclear weapons. Chaos and Nuclear Weapons are not a good mix. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | DOGE’s incompetence is a threat to America’s nuclear safety
The Trump administration is showing why chaos and nuclear weapons are not a good mix.
www.msnbc.com
February 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Many of those Elon Musk fired are part of the management team overseeing tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and technicians who build, maintain and guard the U.S. arsenal of some 5,000 nuclear weapons. Chaos and Nuclear Weapons are not a good mix. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Great piece @joecirin.bsky.social: "Chaos & nuclear weapons are not a good mix. There are certainly savings to be found in the massive nuclear weapons complex...However, abruptly firing employees w/o cause & w/o a coherent plan is a recipe for disaster, not savings." www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | DOGE’s incompetence is a threat to America’s nuclear safety
The Trump administration is showing why chaos and nuclear weapons are not a good mix.
www.msnbc.com
February 19, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Great piece @joecirin.bsky.social: "Chaos & nuclear weapons are not a good mix. There are certainly savings to be found in the massive nuclear weapons complex...However, abruptly firing employees w/o cause & w/o a coherent plan is a recipe for disaster, not savings." www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
When an adversary takes control or your org: “What do I do if someone with no need to know comes and says, ‘I need to see this file on Ukraine, or warhead design?’” an NNSA employee posed. “The idea of turning over sensitive or classified data versus losing your job? ” www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/c...
Trump officials struggled to reinstate nuclear weapons staff after firing hundreds | CNN
Officials backtracked on the terminations Friday after multiple members of Congress petitioned Energy Sec. Chris Wright to reverse course, explaining the dire national security implications.
www.cnn.com
February 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
When an adversary takes control or your org: “What do I do if someone with no need to know comes and says, ‘I need to see this file on Ukraine, or warhead design?’” an NNSA employee posed. “The idea of turning over sensitive or classified data versus losing your job? ” www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/c...
“Even the mere perception that DOGE was not minding proper security protocols could hinder the NNSA’s relationships with other countries, which are essential to its nonproliferation work.” www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
If DOGE Goes Nuclear
The risk of messing with the wrong computer system
www.theatlantic.com
February 6, 2025 at 2:55 AM
“Even the mere perception that DOGE was not minding proper security protocols could hinder the NNSA’s relationships with other countries, which are essential to its nonproliferation work.” www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
What happens when this showdown occurs within USG organizations responsible for overseeing the world’s most dangerous technologies and materials? www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
USAID security officials on leave after refusing access to Musk allies
Billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk has been denigrating USAID, which is the world’s largest provider of food assistance.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 2, 2025 at 7:20 PM
What happens when this showdown occurs within USG organizations responsible for overseeing the world’s most dangerous technologies and materials? www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
The United States is the world’s largest economic and military power, not a social media platform. If you recklessly eliminate government jobs, you jeopardize lives, not just tweets. www.ans.org/news/2025-01...
Independent nuclear waste board members asked to resign
www.ans.org
January 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The United States is the world’s largest economic and military power, not a social media platform. If you recklessly eliminate government jobs, you jeopardize lives, not just tweets. www.ans.org/news/2025-01...
“Simultaneously deploying a missile defense system of questionable effectiveness against any real threat” while “suspending operative programs against nuclear or bioterrorists, sophisticated cyberattackers or others” is a “terrible trade-off” www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/u...
Trump Orders ‘Iron Dome’ for U.S., but Freezes Funds for Nuclear Protection
The United States is estimated to have spent more than $400 billion on the kinds of antimissile goals that the president now says will provide “for the common defense.”
www.nytimes.com
January 29, 2025 at 2:54 PM
“Simultaneously deploying a missile defense system of questionable effectiveness against any real threat” while “suspending operative programs against nuclear or bioterrorists, sophisticated cyberattackers or others” is a “terrible trade-off” www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/u...
Excellent piece thebulletin.org/premium/2025...
Risks of geologic disposal of weapons plutonium
The US plans to bury its excess weapons plutonium at a geologic repository in southeastern New Mexico called the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). But WIPP was not originally designed to handle high...
thebulletin.org
January 14, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Excellent piece thebulletin.org/premium/2025...
Reposted by Nickolas Roth
Sounds familiar www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/m...
The Secret Pentagon War Game That Offers a Stark Warning for Our Times
The devastating outcome of the 1983 game reveals that nuclear escalation inevitably spirals out of control.
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2024 at 1:39 PM
Sounds familiar www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/m...
