In a new study released this week, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) found that the nine nuclear‑armed states collectively spent $119 billion on their weapons programs over the past year. The United States contributed $69.2 billion, a 22% increase from the previous year, outpacing the combined outlays of all other nuclear powers.

US nuclear budget hits $69.2 billion, a 22% rise

The ICAN report notes that the United States’ nuclear spending rose to $69.2 billion , representing the largest single‑nation share of the total $119 billion. susi Snyder, ICAN’s director of programs, called the figure “unthinkable” and warned that the deterrence logic behind it forces societies to trust adversaries with their survival.

Other nuclear states together spend $49.8 billion

Combined, the eight remaining nuclear powers—Russia, China , France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea—accounted for roughly $49.8 billion, according to the same study. This amount is less than the U.S. spend alone, underscoring the disproportionate scale of American investment in nuclear capabilities.

Corporate winners: 19 US firms lock in $375 billion of contracts

ICAN identified 19 major U.S. defense contractors with contracts worth at least $375 billion for nuclear‑related work, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies (RTX) and General Dynamics.. Those firms collectively spent $134 million on lobbying last year, a figure the report says reflects “policy shaping outside democratic oversight.”

Opportunity cost: one day of spending could power 17,000 solar homes

The report uses vivid comparisons to illustrate the trade‑offs. A single day of global nuclear weapons expenditure could have funded the transition to solar‑powered homes for 17,000 households, or financed the planting of two billion trees. One second of British nuclear spending, for example, could have bought 242 liters of petrol.

Unanswered: How will trillion‑dollar plans be finanecd?

ICAN warns that several states are planning to spend “tens of billions or even over a trillion dollars” on nuclear arsenals over the coming decades, but the report does not specify the financing mechanisms. It also leaves unclear whether any of the nine nuclear powers have publicly committed to a timeline for dismantlement, a gap that fuels ongoing debate about the sustainability of such spending.