Trump floats joint U.S.-Russia-China denuclearization plan
By kevinhughes // 2025-11-07
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  • President Donald Trump floated a potential plan for the U.S., Russia and China to collaborate on reducing nuclear arsenals. He suggested multilateral talks to cut defense budgets by half, redirecting funds to "more productive" uses.
  • Trump acknowledged the U.S. as the top nuclear power, followed by Russia, with China rapidly closing the gap. Predicted China could match U.S. and Russian nuclear capabilities within five to six years.
  • The Kremlin awaits clarification from the U.S., while China insists the U.S. and Russia must drastically reduce their arsenals first before Beijing joins talks. Russia suspended participation in the New START treaty under President Joe Biden, complicating negotiations.
  • Experts see potential for historic arms control but remain skeptical due to deep distrust among the three nations. Trump's remarks serve as both a diplomatic overture and a strategic maneuver amid rising nuclear tensions.
In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump has hinted at a potential plan to denuclearize in collaboration with Russia and China. Speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami, Trump acknowledged the United States' status as the world's leading nuclear power but expressed discomfort with the position. "We redid our nuclear – we're the number one nuclear power, which I hate to admit because it's so horrible," Trump said, adding that Russia is the second-largest nuclear power, followed by China, which he believes could close the gap in the next few years. Trump's remarks suggest a possible trilateral agreement aimed at reducing nuclear weapons among the three major powers. "We're maybe working on a plan to denuclearize, the three of us. We'll see if that works," he stated, sparking global speculation about potential multilateral talks focused on global security and nuclear disarmament. In response to Trump's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Moscow is still awaiting further clarifications from the American side regarding the full implications of the U.S. president's remarks. While no formal discussions or diplomatic initiatives have been confirmed, the possibility of a denuclearization plan involving the U.S., Russia and China could have far-reaching implications for global stability and international diplomacy.

A push for defense spending cuts

In a separate Oval Office discussion with reporters on Thursday, Nov. 6, Trump expanded on his vision, expressing hope that denuclearization talks could lead to drastic defense budget reductions. "There's no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons—we already have so many," Trump said. "You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over. And here we are building new nuclear weapons, and they're building nuclear weapons." He lamented the financial burden of maintaining nuclear arsenals, suggesting funds could be redirected toward "more productive" endeavors. "We're all spending a lot of money that we could be spending on other things," Trump added. Trump proposed an ambitious goal: "One of the first meetings I want to have is with President Xi [Jinping] of China, President Putin of Russia. And I want to say, 'Let's cut our military budget in half.' And we can do that. And I think we'll be able to." Trump's aspirations face significant hurdles. During his first term, efforts to include China in nuclear arms control talks failed, with Beijing insisting that the U.S. and Russia must first drastically reduce their arsenals before expecting other nations to join. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated this stance on Friday, Oct. 31: "The U.S. and Russia should... significantly and substantially reduce their nuclear arsenals and create the necessary conditions for other nuclear-armed states to join the nuclear disarmament process." Additionally, Russia suspended its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) under the Biden administration, complicating prospects for renewed negotiations. According BrightU.AI's Enoch, New START is a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia, signed on April 8, 2010, in Prague, Czech Republic. The treaty is a successor to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), which expired in 2009. New START was signed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and it entered into force on June 5, 2011.

Global implications

Experts suggest any trilateral denuclearization agreement would represent a landmark shift in international security dynamics. However, skepticism remains given the deep-seated geopolitical tensions and mutual distrust among the three nations. Trump's remarks come amid heightened concerns over nuclear proliferation, particularly as China rapidly expands its arsenal. His suggestion of cooperation contrasts sharply with his administration's previous hardline stances, raising questions about the feasibility of such a plan. As the world watches, the prospect of U.S.-Russia-China nuclear negotiations—and potential defense spending cuts—remains uncertain. For now, Trump's comments serve as both a diplomatic overture and a strategic gambit in an increasingly volatile global arms race. Watch the video below about Trump claiming that he and Putin have discussed denuclearization. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com EconoTimes.com APnews.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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