Washington’s nuclear weapons budget rose by $12.4 billion in a single year, according to ICAN
US spending on nuclear weapons surged by nearly a quarter in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to findings by an anti-nuclear watchdog.
In a report released on Tuesday, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) said the world’s nine nuclear-armed states spent nearly $119 billion on their arsenals last year – the equivalent of $3,768 every second.
The US remained by far the biggest spender, pouring $69.2 billion into its nuclear arsenal – more than all other eight nations combined. Washington also recorded the largest annual increase, with spending rising 22% year-on-year, or $12.4 billion.
Combined spending by the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea jumped 19% year-on-year, or $16.8 billion, to a record high. China ranked second with spending of $13.5 billion, while the UK overtook Russia as the third-largest spender, allocating $12.6 billion compared to Moscow’s $9.5 billion.
ICAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions.
The nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said. It added that a single day’s nuclear weapons spending in 2025 could have provided food for two million people for a year, while annual spending could have covered the UN’s regular budget for 32 years.
The report comes as the US is considering deploying its nuclear weapons to additional NATO member states in Europe, according to a Financial Times report last week. The outlet said US officials had discussed expanding the nuclear-sharing arrangement beyond its current participants.
Countries neighboring Russia, including Poland and the Baltic states, have reportedly expressed interest in hosting US nuclear weapons.
The US has stationed nuclear weapons in Europe under its nuclear-sharing program since the 1950s. B61 gravity bombs are currently believed to be deployed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Türkiye, while control of the weapons remains with Washington.
Moscow has warned that any further expansion of NATO’s nuclear infrastructure toward Russia’s borders would trigger a response. Earlier this month, Russian Ambassador-at-Large Andrey Belousov reiterated a demand that all US nuclear weapons be withdrawn from Europe and the infrastructure supporting their deployment be dismantled.
What stands out is the US remained by far the biggest spender, pouring $69.2 billion into its nuclear arsenal – more than all other eight nations combined. That is the part worth paying attention to.
So the bottom line is combined spending by the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea jumped 19% year-on-year, or $16.8 billion, to a record high. Wonder how this will land.
Considering uS spending on nuclear weapons surged by nearly a quarter in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to findings by an anti-nuclear watchdog, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
On one hand iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. But at the same time the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said.
The detail about the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said is something people should sit with.
So the bottom line is iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. Wonder how this will land.
In other words the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said. Curious to see how this develops.
Think about it: combined spending by the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea jumped 19% year-on-year, or $16.8 billion, to a record high. That speaks volumes.
ICAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. Meanwhile the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said.
Basically iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
International Campaign is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.
119 billion is hard to ignore, no matter which side you are on.
What stands out is the US remained by far the biggest spender, pouring $69.2 billion into its nuclear arsenal – more than all other eight nations combined. That is the part worth paying attention to.
So the bottom line is combined spending by the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea jumped 19% year-on-year, or $16.8 billion, to a record high. Wonder how this will land.
Considering uS spending on nuclear weapons surged by nearly a quarter in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to findings by an anti-nuclear watchdog, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
On one hand iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. But at the same time the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said.
The detail about the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said is something people should sit with.
So the bottom line is iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. Wonder how this will land.
In other words the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said. Curious to see how this develops.
69.2 billion is hard to ignore, no matter which side you are on.
Think about it: combined spending by the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea jumped 19% year-on-year, or $16.8 billion, to a record high. That speaks volumes.
ICAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. Meanwhile the nine nuclear powers have spent a combined $471 billion on their arsenals over the past five years, the group said.
Basically iCAN, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group, said the increase reflects continued investment in modernizing and expanding nuclear arsenals amid mounting global tensions. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
Still waiting to hear what Abolish Nuclear actually plans to do about it.
Nobel Peace is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.