Nuclear spending stands out in debate among competing defense priorities

By Tony Bertuca / May 2, 2018 at 12:29 PM
The Defense Department wants to spend $1.2 trillion in the coming decades to modernize the U.S. nuclear triad, a sum that senior Pentagon officials behind the recent Nuclear Posture Review argue is both necessary and affordable, despite concerns on Capitol Hill that the plan will prove unrealistic amid mounting deficits. David Trachtenberg, the deputy under secretary of defense for policy, said at a Wednesday breakfast in Washington that spending to modernize the triad will, at its height, account for 6...

Not a subscriber? Sign up for 30 days free access to exclusive, behind-the-scenes reporting on defense policy and procurement.

Log in to access this content.