NukeTalk (Ploughshares)

Over 80 years ago, Hanford was miles and miles of open farmland. Now, it’s known as the most contaminated site in the Western Hemisphere.

This episode features Steve Olson, author of the book Apocalypse Factory: Plutonium and the Making of the Atomic Age, and Britany Lindley, staff attorney at Hanford Challenge.

Andrew Bacevich, President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, discusses the chain of command on the nuclear launch procedure during the end of the Trump administration. On Early Warning: Dr. Jeffrey Lewis at the Middlebury institute of International Studies shares his take on the recent ouster of Leonor Tomero as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy at the Pentagon.

What does security mean to you? How does gender intersect and affect our perception of security? Co-host Michelle Dover speaks with Dr. Alexi Drew, senior analyst at Rand Europe and Anuradha Damale, policy fellow at BASIC, on these topics.
 
On Early Warning, co-host Tom Collina is joined by Sara Haghdoosti, executive director of Win Without War. She brings the latest updates on the Iran Deal and what it will take to re-seal the deal.

Cynthia Lazaroff, award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of NuclearWakeUpCall.Earth, joins Press the Button to discuss her experiences in Hawaii during the 2018 Hawaii false missile alert, and how the incident underscores the need to ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons. Early Warning features Mary Kaszynski of VoteVets and Gayatri Patel of CARE on the lack of progress made toward reentering the Iran nuclear agreement, and Vice President Kamala Harris's upcoming speech at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

It’s the last episode of 2021! On this special episode, co-hosts Tom Collina and Michelle Dover are joined by Ploughshares President Emma Belcher. They identify what nuclear news and events stood out for them from the past year and those they are anticipating in the new year.

What nuclear news caught your eye this year?

Drs. Katlyn Turner, Denia Djokic, and Aditi Verma are back on Press the Button to further explore systemic racism in the nuclear field, and how to begin rooting it out. They also discuss the production of their recently co-authored an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, titled "A Call for Anti-Racist Action and Accountability in the US Nuclear Community." Early Warning features Shannon Bugos of the Arms Control Association and Alicia Sanders-Zakre of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons on the Nuclear Ban Treaty's entry into force and the Biden administration's plans to formally extend the New START Treaty with Russia.

Sarah Streyder, executive director of the Secure Families Initiative, joins Tom Collina to talk about the post-September 11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the effects on veterans and military families. On Early Warning, Dr. Emma Belcher offers her in-depth analysis on the new defense deal between the US, UK, and Australia that provides Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

Terrell Jermaine Starr, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, senior reporter at The Root, and host of the podcast Black Diplomats, joins Press the Button for an in-depth discussion on how violence and racism's influence on US domestic policy also influences its foreign policy. Early Warning features Yasmeen Silva and Colleen Moore of Beyond the Bomb on efforts to enact No First Use nuclear policy, and how to keep the issue in the news after President Trump leaves office.

Taiwan is increasingly a source of conflict between the US & China, and there are some who believe that a military conflict could arise over this issue. Here to talk with co-host Tom Collina about Taiwan is James Lee, a post-doc research associate at the Institute on Global Conflict & Cooperation.

On Early Warning, co-host Michelle Dover sits down with Christine Ahn, Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ, to discuss the news that we may see a declaration of a formal end to the Korean War.

Dr. Ariane Tabatabai, Middle East Fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, is back on Press the Button to discuss the recent assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and how this could affect US-Iran relations as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take power. Early Warning features Laura Grego of the Union of Concerned Scientists analyzing the recent US missile defense test that successfully intercepted an intercontinental-range ballistic missile (ICBM) target, and what it means for future arms control efforts and US relationships with other countries that possess ICBMs.

It’s the first anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to celebrate, co-host Michelle Dover sits down with Ambassador Elayne Whyte, former Costa Rican representative to the UN in Geneva, where she presided over the 2017 conference that negotiated and adopted the TPNW. On this special episode, she reflects on the treaty and discusses the path forward.

Hear more from Ploughshares Fund’s annual policy conference, Press the Button LIVE: Nuclear Policy in Crisis! This week, listen to Ploughshares Fund Executive Director Elizabeth Warner talk with The Chair of the Elders and Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. She discusses disarmament strategy, the Iran Nuclear Deal, and words of wisdom for the next generation of advocates.

Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, infectious diseases physician and Founding Director of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research (CEID) at Boston University, joins Press the Button for a conversation on how national security decisions must take the issues of health and human security into account, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early Warning features Assal Rad of National Iranian American Council and Luke Schleusener of Out in National Security on the upcoming elections in Iran and the importance of the LOVE Act, which aims to recognize and correct the injustice perpetrated against approximately 1,000 people who were fired from the State Department due to their sexual orientation during the Lavender Scare of the 1950’s and beyond.

The US dropped the first atomic bomb on itself. And then they called it the Trinity Test. 

Guests include Tina Cordova (Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium), Mary Martinez White (Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium), and Dr. Joseph Shonka (Senior health physicist and nuclear engineer).

After four weeks, the NPT Review Conference concluded without consensus, with Russia blocking approval for the final document. Tom Collina sits down with Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova from the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation to discuss what this setback to RevCon means for the future of the NPT and arms control.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet speaks with Dr. Alan Robock, climate scientist and professor from Rutgers University. His new research paper with Dr. Lili Xia warns us that there is no such thing as a limited nuclear war. He discusses the key findings of the report and the humanitarian and environmental consequences that will result from a nuclear conflict between two states.

Finland and Sweden appear to be on their way to NATO membership, causing vocal opposition from Turkey and a more muted response from Russia. Tom Collina talks with Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations and professor at Georgetown University. He discusses NATO expansion, the war in Ukraine, and what it all means for the future of diplomacy with Russia.

On Early Warning, Hale Fellow Angela Kellett sits down with Nastaran Far, former Win Without War policy & advocacy fellow. She discusses her podcast miniseries “Calling Others” which features stories from Southwest Asian and North African American creatives and advocates.

What do the nuclear policy field and the reproductive justice movement have in common? Lauren Billet talks about this topic with Yasmeen Silva, organizer, activist, and national field manager at Population Connection. She also touches on the dynamics between gender & power and how these dynamics manifest within the nuclear policy field.

On Early Warning, Tom Collina sits down with Alex Wellerstein from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He breaks down New York City’s recent PSA that describes what you should do during a nuclear attack on the city.

Joby Warrick, award-winning author and national security correspondent for the Washington Post, joins Press the Button to discuss efforts to dismantle Syrian chemical weapons and hold the Syrian government accountable for its use of chemical weapons on the battlefield. Warrick is the author of Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World. Early Warning features Jessica Lee of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft on the Biden administration's recently released review of US policy toward North Korea, and what it means for efforts to contain North Korea's nuclear program. Karim Kamel of the Carnegie Corporation features as guest announcer.

Academy Award-winning director Bryan Fogel discusses his latest film The Dissident, a documentary chronicling the life and work of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist who was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, by agents of the Saudi government. Fogel speaks with Ploughshares Fund board member and actor Farshad Farahat on the making of and reaction to the film. Early Warning features Kingston Reif of the Arms Control Association on the Biden administration's current plans to pursue nuclear modernization, which is estimated to cost $634 billion over the next ten years.

Bob Rosner and Sharon Squassoni of the Science and Security Board at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists join Press the Button to discuss why the Doomsday Clock is still at 100 seconds to midnight, and what must happen before the time is moved backwards. Early Warning features Ploughshares Fund's deputy director of policy Mary Kaszynski on the appointment of Rob Malley as special US envoy for Iran, and the complexities behind US and Iran efforts to re-enter the Iran nuclear agreement.

Sixty years ago this month, the US and Soviet Union came close to the brink of nuclear war during a tense 13-day stand-off known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. So how did we get that close? How did we successfully de-escalate? Tom Collina discusses this historical event with Dr. Tom Vaughan, lecturer at Aberystwyth University and author of “Nuclear war: does it take luck or reasoning to avoid it? Lessons from the Cuban missile crisis, 60 years on”.
 
On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Esther Im, program manager at the National Committee on North Korea. She discusses why we’re seeing an increase in North Korea missile tests how likely it is that a nuclear missile test is forthcoming.

On this week’s episode, take a listen to Tom Collina’s Action Now panel that aired at this year’s Chain Reaction gala. This panel features Jamal Abdi from NIAC, Istra Furhmann from FCNL, and Sara Haghdoosti from Win Without War. Topics include: the Iran nuclear deal, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, and the war in Ukraine.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks to Alicia Sanders-Zakre, the policy and research coordinator at ICAN. She discusses the events in Vienna last week surround the first meeting of state parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including the ICAN Ban Forum.

Alex Wellerstein, historian of science at the Stevens Institute of Technology, joins Press the Button for a discussion on the history of secrecy behind US development of nuclear weapons, and how that secrecy has impacted discussion on nuclear weapons today. Early Warning features Suhad Babaa of Just Vision and Mairav Zonszein of International Crisis Group on the recent ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, and what needs to happen to prevent future escalation.

Learn about Alex's book Restricted Data: https://alexwellerstein.com/writing/books/restricted-data/

David Vine, professor of political anthropology at American University, talks to Ploughshares Fund board member Farshad Farahat for a special discussion on the historical consequences of the United States' foreign policy, and its effect on millions of lives across the world. Vine is the author of the new book, The United States of War: A Global History of America's Endless Conflicts, from Columbus to the Islamic State​. Early Warning features Danielle Brian of the Project on Government Oversight on President-elect Joe Biden's nomination of Gen. Lloyd Austin to be US Secretary of Defense.

Get updated on Ukraine: co-host Tom Collina is joined by Kimberly St. Julian Varnon, who navigates the evolving situation of the Ukraine-Russia border crisis. She is a PhD student in history at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a master's in Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian studies from Harvard University.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall sits down with Raeghn Draper, activist & partnership and mobilization associate at Beyond the Bomb. They discuss the connection between nuclear weapons and racial justice, and how you can get involved.

This week, Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinder Consortium and sixth-generation native New Mexican, has the microphone in the final episode of this season.

In this conversation with Ploughshares Fund President Emma Belcher, Tina Cordova discusses the financial damage that goes hand-in-hand with the physical and emotional toll that impacted communities experience, how these are passed down through generations of families, and how the effects of the Trinity Test — the first ever nuclear weapons test — is still felt today by those in New Mexico.

And please stay tuned for season 2 of Press the Button: "The Shadow of Oppenheimer."

To start off the new year, Tom Collina sits down with Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the author of Kim Jong Un and the Bomb: Survival and Deterrence in North Korea. He discusses Kim’s plans to increase the production of nuclear weapons and what kind of US diplomatic efforts we might see in response.

On Early Warning, Angela Kellett talks with John Pope, Chief Audience Officer at the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. They discuss the historical significance of the Doomsday Clock as the Bulletin prepares to unveil this year’s clock setting on January 24th.

…and that’s a wrap! Join co-hosts Tom Collina and Lauren Billet as they cover their favorite interviews and stories from the past year. And as an end of the year treat, enjoy a highlight reel that takes you through some of the biggest stories quote by quote.

The Pantex Plant sits just 17 miles northeast of Amarillo, Texas. It's the only remaining assembly and disassembly plant for nuclear weapons in the United States.

Guests include Barbara Kent (downwinder and advocate), Kaysie Kent (downwinder and advocate), and Lucie Genay (author of Under the Cap of Invisibility: The Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant and the Texas Panhandle).

A May 23rd press conference in Japan marks the third time President Biden has stated that he would defend Taiwan militarily, breaking long-standing US policy. While these statements have always been walked back by Biden’s staff, it begs the question: what really is Biden’s Taiwan policy? Tom Collina discusses this topic with James Lee, postdoctoral research associate at the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Erin Rosenberg, lawyer and visiting scholar at the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She discusses the recent convictions of Russian soldiers who pled guilty for war crimes in Ukraine.

Inside Kazakhstan’s nuclear history: on this week’s episode, co-host Michelle Dover sits down with Togzhan Kassenova, senior fellow at the Center for Policy Research, SUNY-Albany, and a non-resident fellow at the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She discusses her newly released book, “Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave up the Bomb”.

On Early Warning, co-host Tom Collina is joined by Sara Haghdoosti, executive director of Win Without War. She discusses the possible outcomes of the Iran nuclear talks and the Congressional battle lines that may be drawn over this issue.

This week, Jasmine Owens from the Physicians for Social Responsibility has the microphone.

In past episodes, we’ve discussed how nuclear frontline communities are often indigenous or comprised mainly of people of color. Jasmine Owens goes beyond these conversations to answer the overarching question: how can the anti-nuclear community become more equitable?

Lisbeth Gronlund, research affiliate with the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT, joins Press the Button to discuss why it's so dangerous that the US president has the sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons, and how to avoid future situations where unhinged presidents have their finger on the button. Early Warning features our program officer/nuclear field coordinator John Carl Baker and Catherine Killough of Women Cross DMZ on a new report outlining how a formal end to the Korean War could lower tensions and make room for progress on the North Korea nuclear issue, and what to expect from the Biden administration on North Korea.

In the years between Oppenheimer the man and Oppenheimer the movie, nuclear weapons have carved out a lasting place for themselves in popular culture. These depictions are not just plot points—they’re opportunities to educate and call for action. 

Guests include Alex Wellerstein (Nuclear Weapons Historian and Professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology) and John Pope (Chief Audience Officer of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists).

Elizabeth Becker, journalist, author and former war correspondent for the Washington Post in Cambodia, joins Press the Button to discuss how three women journalists covering the Vietnam War changed the way the news media reports on war. Becker is the author of You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War. Early Warning features Allen Hester of Physicians for Social Responsibility and Diana Ohlbaum of Friends Committee on National Legislation on the re-introduction of the No First Use bill in Congress, and the effects of the Biden administration's proposed Pentagon budget on communities of color.

Ploughshares Fund’s Roger L. Hale Fellow Dr. Doreen Horschig discusses her new interactive report urging President Biden to focus his upcoming Nuclear Posture Review on preventing accidental nuclear war. Early Warning guests feature Christopher Jackson, a PhD candidate at the University of California Berkeley, and Maggie Boughman, a data and language intelligence analyst at SOS international Center for intelligence research analysis.

Stephen I. Schwartz, a nonresident senior fellow at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists – and a virtual encyclopedia of all things related to the nuclear football – takes us back to the events of January 6. Schwartz talks about how the situation could have escalated if the “football” had been captured by the rioters. Early Warning features Sam A. Winter-Levy and Alasdair Phillips-Robins. And we answer a listener’s question about companies manufacturing nuclear weapons.

It’s story time on this week’s episode of Press the Button.

Co-host Michelle Dover is joined by Emmy award-winning journalist Helen Young, who discusses her fascinating new film “The Nuns, The Priests, and The Bombs.” Their conversation follows a community of nuclear disarmament activists, which include two pacifist Catholic nuns, who risk imprisonment and even death in their effort to raise public awareness of the threat posed by nuclear weapons.

Dr. Vincent Intondi, professor of history at Montgomery College and author of the book African Americans Against the Bomb: Nuclear Weapons, Colonialism, and the Black Freedom Movement, joins Press the Button to discuss how the nuclear issue intersects with the fight for racial equality. Early Warning features Ploughshares Fund's deputy director of policy Mary Kaszynski and Matt Korda of the Federation of American Scientists discussing recent developments on the Iran nuclear agreement and new polling indicating low public support for plans to build a new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile.

NASA hits a bullseye: this week, Tom Collina sits down with Dr. Laura Grego, senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She discusses NASA’s recent (and successful) DART mission to hit an asteroid in space and the implications for nuclear policy.

On Early Warning, Angela Kellett talks with Istra Fuhrmann and Alex Toma of The Peace and Security Funders Group. They join the podcast to discuss their recent Chronicles of Philanthropy article: Nuclear Weapons Are an Ever-Present Danger — and Grant Makers Need to Pay Attention.

In early February, the world watched as a Chinese “spy balloon” floated across the United States, sparking a furor that led President Biden to postpone a high-level US visit to Beijing. This week, Tom Collina talks with Sahil Shah, senior fellow and program manager at the Council on Strategic Risks. He discusses the balloon, the postponement of the US visit, and how this event affects Chinese threat perceptions. 

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Connor Murray from Council for a Livable World. They discuss prospects for further New START negotiations and the potential fall-out if US and Russia fail to find consensus before the treaty expires.

We’re now halfway through the Biden Administration’s first term, so it’s time to take stock of the Administration’s national security and nuclear policies. Tom Collina sits down with Matt Duss, former foreign policy advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP). They discuss Biden’s foreign policy over the past two years.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Dr. Ellen Kim, deputy director of the Korea Chair at The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She discusses South Korean President Yoon’s recent remarks that South Korea might consider developing its own nuclear arsenal.

Suzanne DiMaggio, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Press the Button to discuss the recent talks between the United States and Iran, and what needs to happen for the Biden administration to keep diplomacy alive. Early Warning features Emma Claire Foley of Global Zero and our senior program officer/nuclear field coordinator John Carl Baker on efforts to cancel funding for new nuclear weapons and what to expect from the Biden administration on North Korea.

A shift in NATO strategy? Tom Collina sits down with Max Bergmann, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He recaps the recent NATO summit in Madrid, and discusses how the war in Ukraine will affect its strategy and the alliance’s relationship with the US.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Sanam Vakil, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House. She discusses the last round of indirect talks to return to the Iran nuclear deal held in Doha, and prospects for what comes next. 

As the war in Ukraine spills from 2022 into 2023, Tom Collina sits down with Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, PhD student from the University of Pennsylvania, to discuss ongoing developments. She talks about what’s happening in the war in Ukraine right now, what we could expect in the coming year, and how the crisis is turning into a long-term stand-off.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet talks to Marylia Kelley, Executive Director of Tri-Valley CAREs. They discuss President Eisenhower’s military industrial complex speech and where we currently see unprecedented spending on the military and nuclear weapons development.

Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, joins Press the Button for an in-depth discussion on the intersection of the movement for saner nuclear policy and movements for achieving racial justice, protecting the environment and establishing a fairer economy. Early Warning features Liza Arias of Women of Color Advancing Peace & Security and Kaleigh Thomas of Center for a New American Security on the recent SolarWinds hack, which targeted the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and various other US government organizations.

The war in Ukraine may be entering a decisive new phase. On this episode, Tom Collina speaks with Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss Ukraine’s recent counter-offensive, how Russia might respond, and whether the tide of the war has turned.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet sits down with Barbara Slavin, director of the Future of Iran Initiative and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. She discusses recent developments in reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the potential progress that could be made at the UN General Assembly in New York.

This week, the microphone is passed to Selina Leem, climate change activist and Marshall Islands native.

From 1946-1958, the US detonated 67 atomic bombs on the Marshall Islands, resulting in disastrous health, environmental, and cultural consequences that the Marshallese people are still burdened with today. Leem shares her first-hand experience of growing up with the consequences of this nuclear legacy and climate change, and how this has all shaped her activism.

Philip Taubman, consulting professor at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation and Ploughshares Fund board member, joins Press the Button to remember the late George Shultz, former Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and a prominent advocate for nuclear arms control. Early Warning features Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association on a temporary agreement reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency that ensures the continuation of some nuclear verification and monitoring activities.

Terrell Jermaine Starr, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, joins co-host Michelle Dover to put nuclear security in context. In covering topics ranging from Iran to new hypersonic missile development, Starr discusses the importance of a grassroots movement that pushes for the elimination of the nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile on Early Warning, Jessica Sleight, Program Director at Global Zero, checks in on the upcoming Nuclear Posture Review with co-host Tom Collina.

On this week's episode, co-host Michelle Dover sits down with Michael Krepon, co-founder and a senior fellow at the Stimson Center. They discuss his latest book, “Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace: the rise, demise, and revival of arms control" which offers a comprehensive look at arms control.

On Early Warning, co-host Tom Collina sits down with Anatol Lieven, a senior research fellow on Russia and Europe at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He discusses the U.S. and NATO's response to Russian demands and diplomatic solutions to end the crisis in Ukraine.

19th US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry joins a special bonus episode of Press the Button to discuss authority over America's nuclear arsenal in the final days of Donald Trump's presidency, and how there are no safeguards for preventing an unstable president from launching a nuclear strike before leaving office.

Co-host/Policy Director Tom Collina and Sec. Perry in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/opinion/nuclear-weapons-trump.html?searchResultPosition=1

POLITICO: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/08/trump-still-has-his-finger-on-the-nuclear-button-this-must-change-456667

The Button by Collina and Sec. Perry: https://ploughshares.org/thebutton

This election isn’t just about votes—it’s about who controls the world’s most powerful weapons. In this season of NukeTalk, we will explore The Nuclear Ballot: How the U.S. Election Shapes Nuclear Policy. We bring you insights from top nuclear weapons experts on how this election can shape nuclear weapons policy in the future as stakes rise in this election cycle.

In this episode, we delve into the hidden human toll of nuclear weapons in the United States. Discover how the escalating defense budget, the looming discussions on resuming nuclear tests, and the continued neglect of those impacted by the nuclear weapons complex reveal a stark and troubling reality. Join us as we uncover the forgotten victims and the ongoing impacts of America's nuclear legacy.

Featured Guests: Scott Yundt, Executive Director of Tri-Valley CAREs; Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS); and Mary Dickson, award-winning writer, downwinder, and advocate. 

Rose Gottemoeller, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO, joins Press the Button, describes her experience negotiating the New START Treaty during the Obama administration, and what the recent summit between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin means for the future of arms control. Gottemoeller's new book, Negotiating the New START Treaty, is available now. Early Warning features co-host Tom Collina and Sharon K. Weiner of American University discussing their testimonies during last week's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on US nuclear policy.

Does Oppenheimer have a post-credit scene? Yes, and you’re living it.

Hosts Angela Kellett and Jacqueline Hsing review Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer and discuss what’s fact, what’s fiction, and what’s missing from the narrative.

Amid Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling, what exactly makes a nuclear weapon “tactical” — and is that even the right word to use? This week, Tom Collina talks with Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. He corrects the many misperceptions of “tactical” nuclear weapons and discusses how Russia could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet sits down with Allen Hester, who leads the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s Nuclear Disarmament and Pentagon spending portfolio. He discusses the Biden Administration’s newly released National Security Strategy and its implications for the long-awaited Nuclear Posture Review.

President Biden has now been in office for one year; Matt Duss, Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, joined co-host Tom Collina to reflect on Biden’s foreign policy decisions over the course of this year. Topics include: US military policy and withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On Early Warning, Tom Collina takes double duty as co-host and sits down with Sharon Squassoni, co-chair of the Science & Security Board at The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. She discusses the Doomsday clock and why it was decided to keep it at 100 seconds to midnight.

This episode, Lilly Adams, senior outreach coordinator at the Union of Concerned Scientists and co-founder of Nuclear Voices has the microphone.

Lilly Adams is one of the many advocates who are bringing voices impacted by nuclear weapons to light and pushing for legislation to address these issues. In past episodes, we’ve talked about compensation for nuclear harm that are set to be expired if action isn’t taken — Lilly Adams pinpoints what exact obstacles are in the way and how we can better engage impacted communities in a more meaningful and genuine manner.

This week, Ploughshares Fund’s Hale Fellow Angela Kellett sits down with Shalonda Spencer, Executive Director of Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS). In honor of Mother’s Day, she discusses the burden that is often imposed by nuclear weapons and security issues on women and children.

On Early Warning, Tom Collina is joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, senior policy fellow at the European Council for Foreign Relations. She discusses the four year anniversary of Trump’s withdraw from the Iran deal and the actions the Biden Administration should take on the JCPOA now.

This week, Trisha Thompson Pritikin and Dr. Yuki Miyamoto have the microphone.

In part one of this conversation, they discuss the parallels between the Hanford and the Fukushima Daiichi downwinders, and how radioactive iodine can impact the body.

Trisha Thompson Pritikin is a Hanford Downwinder and author of the book The Hanford Plaintiffs. Dr. Yuki Miyamoto is a second generation Hiroshima Hibakusha and an associate professor at DePaul University, where she uses comparative ethical framework to examine nuclear discourse. 

Alicia Sanders-Zakre, policy and research coordinator with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons discusses a report she co-authored revealing how much money the nine nuclear states spent on nuclear weapons last year.

Early Warning features Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council. He speaks with Michelle Dover about the state of negotiations as we pass the sixth anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal.

Ray Acheson discusses their book, Banning the Bomb, Smashing the Patriarchy, with guest host Alex Hall.

On Early Warning: Matt Korda from Federation Of American Scientists provides context on recent satellite imagery findings of a second nuclear silo field in China; and Princeton Ph.D. student Ryan Dukeman shares new ideas about the politics of data and artificial intelligence. And Dr. Doreen Horschig answers a listener’s question about nuclear shell games.

Neuroscientist Moran Cerf and PopTech president Leetha Filderman, join Press the Button for an illuminating discussion on how behavioral science can be applied to nuclear deterrence theory. Early Warning features our deputy policy director Mary Kaszynski and Andrew Albertson of Foreign Policy for American on President-elect Joe Biden's recent appointments for top national security roles, and the recent assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist.

Nuclear policy work in the time of COVID: Ploughshares Fund President Dr. Emma Belcher sits down with Lovely Umayam, a nuclear nonproliferation expert, writer, and founder of Bombshelltoe Policy and Arts Collective, and Elisa Reverman, PhD candidate at Georgetown University and occasional illustrator. They discuss their project, Lifelines, a collection of personal reflections about the experiences of nuclear policymakers and technical practitioners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Early Warning, Tom Collina talks with Sahil Shah, policy fellow at the European Leadership Network. He discusses the IAEA’s criticism of Iran for failing to cooperate with an investigation into its nuclear activities and the country’s response.

Can the Iran Deal be saved? Tom Collina is joined by Negar Mortazavi, Iranian-American journalist and host of the Iran podcast. She discusses the stalled negotiations to revive the Iran Deal and whether progress is possible.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet sits down with Hans Kristensen, associate senior fellow at SIPRI and the director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of American Scientists. He discusses his new report on the world’s nuclear arsenal and what we should take away from his findings.

Michael Brenes, Associate Director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy and Lecturer in History at Yale University, joins Press the Button for a look at why the United States has such a large military budget compared to other countries, why there is overwhelming bipartisan support for massive military spending, and why the US relies on defense spending for jobs and growth. Early Warning features Leimamo Wase and Lilly Adams discussing the impact of the Castle Bravo nuclear test, which took place at the Marshall Islands 67 years ago.

The holiday season here! So is Human Rights Day. Listen to this special holiday episode about the intersections between justice, human rights, and nuclear weapons.

Guests include Mary Dickson (Downwinder and Activist) and Lilly Adams (Union of Concerned Scientists).

Big news: Biden’s long-awaited Nuclear Posture Review is finally out! This week, Tom Collina talks with Jessica Sleight and Jon Wolfsthal from Global Zero. They review Biden’s nuclear weapons policy, and discuss where it fell short and how it can be improved.

On Early Warning, Angela Kellett sits down with Scott Roecker, Vice President of the Nuclear Material Security Program at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. He discusses Russia’s unsubstantiated allegation that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb.

Continue hearing the story of Hanford and Fukushima Daiichi downwinders with Trisha Thompson Pritikin and Dr. Yuki Miyamoto.

In part two of this conversation, they discuss the generational health effects passed down from radiation exposure and the litigation process the Fukushima Daiichi downwinders are currently undergoing.

Jon Wolfsthal of Global Zero and Alexandra Bell of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation discuss what to expect from President-elect Joe Biden on nuclear policy issues, and what work needs to be done to reduce current nuclear threats. Early Warning features our deputy policy director Mary Kaszynski discussing revelations that President Donald Trump sought options to attack Iran in response to a recent increase in the country’s stockpile of nuclear material.

On this week’s episode, co-host Tom Collina sits down with Jeremy Ben-Ami, President of J Street, to discuss the growing number former Israeli officials faulting the Israeli government for opposing the Iran nuclear deal.

On Early Warning, Michelle Dover is joined by Nomsa Ndongwe, co-founder of WCAPS West coast chapter & staff member at the Global Security at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. She identifies what to look out for at the upcoming Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference.

This week, Tom Collina speaks with Gregory Kulacki from the Union of Concerned Scientists on US-China relations. Topics include: China’s Party Congress, the effects of the war in Ukraine on US-China relations, and the new US National Security Strategy.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet talks with Donna Farvard, national organizing director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). She discusses the protests for women’s rights in Iran and what NIAC is doing to combat misinformation. (CW: mention of sexual assault threats.)

This week, Mari Faines from Global Zero and Haleema Saadia, Lecturer at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), have the microphone.

It’s not often discussed how racism intersects with our security priorities and how more often than not they are set at the expense of people of color. And when it is, the focus gets stuck on individuals rather than the underlying systemic inequalities that give power and privilege to certain voices.

In this conversation, Mari Faines and Haleema Saadia discuss how racism manifests in nuclear weapons policy, and how we can address head on the institutional issues that plague nuclear weapons policy and the entire security structure. 

Chairman Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee discusses opportunities President Biden has with the Nuclear Posture Review – working with Russia to reduce the arsenal, getting back to the Iran deal and avoiding nuclear war. Congressman Smith also shares insights on how next year's budget process will drive some of the biggest decisions on nuclear monetization. Extended Early Warning: An in-depth nuclear policy discussion with Dr. Jane Vaynman, Jon Wolfsthal and Lilly Adams.

The 100th episode of Press the Button features a special interview with Ploughshares Fund president Emma Belcher and Joe Cirincione, distinguished fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and former Ploughshares Fund president. They discuss the history behind the podcast and the challenges ahead for the nuclear field. Early Warning features Dr. Alex Stark of New America and Aria Grabowski of the International Center for Research on Women on the Biden administration's efforts to advance women's leadership, and what a feminist foreign policy looks like.

Coalition for a Feminist Foreign Policy in the United States: https://www.icrw.org/publications/toward-a-feminist-foreign-policy-in-the-united-states/ 

Lynn Rusten, Vice President of the Global Nuclear Policy Program at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), joins Press the Button for a discussion on what the United States and Russia should do to reduce nuclear risks following the recent summit between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin, and how China factors into future arms control efforts. Early Warning features Dr. Alex Stark of New America on how recent targeted strikes against Iranian-backed militias could affect tensions between US and Iran, and plans to feature winners of New America's recent essay contest on changing US security policy on Press the Button.

Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer in discussion with Ploughshares Fund President Emma Belcher. They cover topics ranging from the Iran nuclear deal to President Biden’s upcoming Nuclear Posture Review, as well as the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal. On Early Warning: Ploughshares Fund Senior Program Officer Cara Marie Wagner shares details on an exciting new request for proposals and opportunities to fund new projects.

This week, Emma Belcher sits down with Målfrid Braut-Hegghammer, Director of the Oslo Nuclear Project. She discusses efforts to roll back nuclear programs in Iraq & Iran, and US-centric biases when it comes to nuclear weapons policy.

On Early Warning, Michelle Dover is joined by Melissa Hanham, an affiliate of Stanford Center for International Security & Cooperation. Hanham discusses recent North Korean missile test and whether sanctions play a role in preventing nuclear proliferation.

It was the uranium enriched at the Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee that was used in Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August of 1945. Today, every single weapon in the US’ nuclear arsenal, all 5,000, has parts that were built or maintained at Y-12.

Guests include Tanya Kardile (Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance) and Emily Strasser (author of Half-life of a secret: Reckoning with a hidden history).

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ have set this year’s clock at 90 seconds to midnight — the closest to midnight it has ever been. Why is the clock so close to midnight and how do we come back from the brink? To answer these questions, Tom Collina talks with Dr. Rachel Bronson, President and CEO of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

On Early Warning, Angela Kellett sits down with Lilly Adams, senior outreach coordinator at the Union of Concerned Scientists. They discuss reports that officers who worked in a nuclear missile base have been diagnosed with blood cancer and how nuclear weapons have a long history of negative impacts on people.

Michael Krepon and Lovely Umayam of the Stimson Center join Press the Button for a unique look at what is possible for future nuclear policy, and how the nuclear policy field should respond in the face of weakened arms control agreements, increased nuclear arsenal modernization, and a new presidential administration in the United States. Early Warning features Steven Pifer of the Brookings Institution on what the incoming Joe Biden administration can do to reduce nuclear threats when in office.

In 2018, a false missile alert threw Hawaii into mass panic. Four years later, the lived experiences and voices of people on that day can be explored through the new immersive virtual reality documentary, On the Morning You Wake. Tom Collina sits down with Mike Brett, Emmy-award winning director and co-creator of On the Morning You Wake, to discuss the making of the documentary and its importance.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Jessica Drun, non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. She discusses House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s planned Taiwan trip and the controversy surrounding it.

Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association joins Press the Button to discuss Iran's plans to enrich uranium up to 60% following an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, and what that means for efforts to save the Iran nuclear agreement. Early Warning features Adam Weinstein of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft on the implications of President Biden's decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the initial invasion.

Take a look inside Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant: Tom Collina talks with Dr. Cindy Vestergaard, senior fellow and director of the Nuclear Safeguards program at the Stimpon Center. She discusses the UN Inspector’s visit to the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia power plant in Ukraine and why it matters.

On Early Warning, Angela Kellett speaks with Dr. Angela Stent, a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest. She discusses Mikhail Gorbachev’s passing and the legacy he left behind

In this special bonus episode, co-host Tom Collina sits down with Dr. Lisa Ruth Rand, Assistant Professor of History at CalTech. She discusses ASATs, space junk, our dependence on satellites, and what all that means for the possibility of space warfare.

Dr. David Kang, director of the Korean Studies Institute and Maria Crutcher Professor of International Relations at University of Southern California, joins Press the Button for a discussion on how the Biden administration should approach North Korea in the wake of decades of failed policy from previous administrations and how hawkish views on China in the US government have led to increased violence against Asian Americans. A special Early Warning focuses on the lack of diversity and perspectives during last week's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on nuclear weapons.

Deciphering Putin’s nuclear threats: co-host Tom Collina sits down with Jon Wolfsthal, former senior director at the National Security Council during the Obama administration, and current senior advisor at Global Zero and member of the Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He discusses what Putin’s heightened nuclear alert means and the risks involved.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall is joined by Sara Sirota, a reporter at The Intercept. She covers the upcoming nuclear posture review and what changes might be made as a result of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.

Nuclear risk — what is it and how is it assessed? Ploughshares Fund President Dr. Emma Belcher discusses these questions with Dr. Patricia Lewis, director of the International Security program at Chatham House.

On Early Warning, Lauren Billet is joined by Shannon Bugos, senior policy analyst at the Arms Control Association. She discusses Russia’s decision to suspend inspections under New Start and what it means for future arms control dialogue between the US and Russia.

We're not quite done with Oppenheimer yet! In this bonus episode, Ploughshares Fund President Dr. Emma Belcher sits down with Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The two discuss how growing up in New Mexico, the site of the Trinity Test, and being an Oppenheimer shaped his views on nuclear weapons. They also discussed how the film helped organize and raise awareness of those working on nuclear elimination, as well as bringing nuclear issues back into the public eye.

Delfin Vigil interviews Deann Borshay Liem, Emmy-Award winning film producer & director of Crossings. She discusses her new documentary that follows a group of women peacemakers across the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

On Early Warning, Tom Collina sits down with Gregory Kulacki, China Project Manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He talks about China’s nuclear program, and deconstructs the belief that the US is “falling behind” in an arms race with China.

The war in Ukraine takes another left turn as Russian President Vladimir Putin makes more explicit nuclear threats: this week, Tom Collina sits down with Jon Wolfsthal, senior advisor at Global Zero and author of the sub-stack newsletter BoomBoomBoom. They discuss Putin’s nuclear threats, the fine line the Biden Administration has to walk, and how to avoid further escalation.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with Sara Haghdoosti, executive director of Win Without War. She discusses the nationwide protests in Iran over governmental restrictions on women’s dress, which erupted after Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being arrested by the morality police for allegedly breaking Iran’s policy on hijabs.  

In early August, the FBI searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home for classified documents, some of which may be related to nuclear weapons. So what kind of nuclear information could Trump have taken? Tom Collina sits down with Alex Wellerstein, author of Restricted Data: The History of Nuclear Secrecy in the United States. He discusses the FBI’s recent search, what nuclear information may be involved, and whether former President Trump could be prosecuted.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall sits down with Laura Rozen, member of the editorial board of Just Security and writer of the Diplomatic substack newsletter. She discusses the latest developments to revive the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal and the US’s and Iran’s responses to the new EU proposal.

On this week’s episode, Ploughshares Fund President Emma Belcher sits down with Dr. Maria Rost Rublee, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at Monash University. She discusses the myths and misconceptions of Ukraine’s nuclear weapons history & what we can learn from this now.

On Early Warning, Michelle Dover is joined by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, visiting fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations. He discusses one of the last hurdles to the Iran Deal: Iran’s demand that the US rescind its foreign terrorist designation on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp, which was placed by the Trump Administration in 2019.

This season on Press the Button, we’re handing the microphone to members of communities impacted by nuclear weapons so they can share their stories and their experiences the way they want to tell it.

This episode features Shampa Biswas, Professor of Politics at Whitman College and a 2022 Ploughshares Fund Equity Rises grantee. She is working to transform nuclear studies by putting race, colonialism, gender, disability, ecological thinking, and intersectionality right at the center of that study. She explains how intersectional thinking in nuclear policy changes the nature of the conversation, why current thinking surrounding the concept of security can be dangerous, and the ways in which the nuclear field can engage with young people.

The fistbump seen ‘round the world: Tom Collina discusses Biden’s recent trip to the Middle East with Trita Parsi, executive vice president at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Parsi covers the purpose of Biden’s trip and what it means for US diplomacy efforts. On Early Warning, Angela Kellett sits down with Dr. Cheryl Harrison, assistant professor in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Lousiana State University and lead researcher of a new paper that investigates the impact of nuclear weapons on the climate.

On the Morning You Wake Part 2: Press the Button re-visits the new virtual reality experience exploring Hawai’i’s 2018 false nuclear alarm. This time, Tom Collina talks with Cynthia Lazaroff, founder and director of Women Transforming Our Nuclear Legacy, and Ray Acheson, director of Disarmament at the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall sits down with Colleen Moore, advocacy director at Women Cross DMZ. She discusses the recent developments on the Korean peninsula, which includes the resumption of South Korean drills and the Biden Administration’s decision to extend Trump’s ban prohibiting US passport holders from entering North Korea for one year.

As the withdrawal of all US military forces from Afghanistan is completed, Adam Weinstein, research fellow with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft provides a deep dive into the questions of why the US went into Afghanistan in the first place, why did the US stay so long, and why it was so hard to leave? Early Warning features New America essay contest winners, Ishan Sharma and Ronit Langer.

The last remaining US-Russia arms control treaty, New START, is set to expire in 2026. This week, Tom Collina talks with Jessica Rogers, impact fellow at the Federation of American Scientists. She discusses the importance of New START, what happens if we fail to replace it, and how we can save arms control.

On Early Warning, Alex Hall talks with John Carl Baker, Nuclear Field Coordinator and Senior Program Officer at Ploughshares Fund. He discusses North Korea’s recent missile tests and the prospects for diplomacy.

All eyes are on Ukraine (including ours). Steven Pifer, a William J. Perry Research Fellow at CISAC and former ambassador to Ukraine, joins co-host Tom Collina to discuss Putin’s motivations for Ukraine and more. On Early Warning, co-host Michelle Dover and veteran foreign policy journalist Laura Rozen examine the US-Iran talks on salvaging the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in Vienna. Rozen compares where the parties are now compared to June and shares what she is especially watching out for.