Trump’s Dangerous Missile Defense Buildup

Summary:  This article discusses the aftermath of the Missile Defense Review which was released on January 17^th, 2019. In this review, the Trump administration proposed a large expansion of U.S. missile defenses. The author argues that some statements made by Trump in regards to the buildup were not only unachievable but could also pose a threat to our national security. This is due to the fact that these expansions would likely raise concerns for Russia and China in regards to their nuclear deterrents and strategic ability if the U.S. were to follow through with the expansion.

Significance: The author argues that rather than rushing to fund and spend billions on this risky expansion, the U.S. should instead take a more “disciplined” approach and partake in conversations with Russia and China in regards to strategic stability. If we fail to do this, we risk strategic instability and will face a harder time in future nuclear arms reductions.