Welcome to Pushback. I'm Aaron Mate. The Trump administration is on a campaign to undermine

arms control and increase the threat of nuclear weapons. Just last week, President Trump announced

his withdrawal from another arms control treaty, the Open Skies Treaty, accusing Russia of major violations.

I think we have a very good relationship with Russia, but Russia didn't adhere to the treaty,

so until they adhere, we will pull out. But there's a very good chance we'll make a new agreement

or do something to put that agreement back together. In a memo, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia of exploiting the Open Sky's Treaty

to select targets for bombing, though he presented no evidence.

The Open Skies Treaty is now the second major Cold War Pact that Trump has killed after the INF, and a third major

treaty is also in danger. Newstart is the last major limit on the nuclear stockpiles of the

U.S. and Russia. It's set to expire in February, and the Trump administration so far has signaled

that it will let it expire.

All this comes as the Washington Post reports that Trump officials have discussed conducting

the U.S.'s first nuclear test since 1992, though the plan was apparently rejected.

And this comes as Trump's arms control envoy publicly said that the U.S. can outspend Russia and China on nuclear weapons into oblivion.

We have a tried and true practice here. We know how to win these races and we know how to spend the adversary into oblivion.

And if we have to, we will.

But we sure would like to avoid it.

Darrell Kimball is director of the Arms Control Association

and publisher of Arms Control today.

Darrell, welcome to pushback.

Let me start by asking you your reaction to the latest news.

This headline from the

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