PRESIDENT SAYS A “PLAN” WITH MOSCOW AND BEIJING IS POSSIBLE AS ARMS RACE INTENSIFIES
President Donald Trump announced this week that the United States may collaborate with Russia and China on a plan to reduce nuclear weapons, marking an unusual shift in rhetoric toward major adversaries.
Speaking at a business forum, Trump said, “We’re maybe working on a plan to denuclearize, the three of us. We’ll see if that works.” He added that the U.S. has rebuilt its nuclear deterrent, but that the destructive potential of the arsenal remains “horrible.”
Trump ranked global nuclear powers, placing Russia second and China third — while warning China could catch up in four or five years.
Despite his overture, analysts warn that actual negotiations remain distant. While the U.S. and Russia have historic arms-control frameworks, China has repeatedly dismissed trilateral talks as “unreasonable and unrealistic.”
Experts say the three-way proposal—if it ever advances—would require dramatic shifts in trust, verification regimes and geopolitics. A recent analysis noted that the U.S. technically lacks a need to return to explosive nuclear tests, despite Trump’s earlier directive to resume testing.
Domestically, the announcement poses political risk: critics argue the president is conflating arms-control diplomacy with grandstanding, while supporters view it as a bold step toward global stability.
Trump’s suggestion also comes amid rising tensions with both Russia and China over missile systems, nuclear routines and defense budgets, making his comment both timely and provocative.
Whether this “plan” will translate into concrete diplomacy or become another headline remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the U.S., Russia and China have entered a new era of nuclear rhetoric — whether cooperation or confrontation.
