French President Emmanuel Macron believes his nuclear arsenal has the power to protect all of Europe. Macron firmly believes that France does not need the United States, especially under Donald Trump, and continues to reassure Europe and NATO that his nation could supplement the United States’ potential absence from the alliance.
The United States has the second-largest nuclear weapon stockpile in the world. As of January 2025, the US held 3,700 warheads, including 1,770 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). There are an additional 1,300 retired warheads waiting to be dismantled, and a further 1,938 warheads in reserve, which brings the total number of nuclear devices (on file) to 5,000.
America continues to upgrade and replace its nuclear weapons at a rapid pace. There is a reason the world points to America as the hub of the military-industrial complex. The Department of Defense budgeted $49.2 billion specifically for nuclear weapons in FY2025 alone and the Department of Energy budgeted another $32.7 billion for warhead maintenance and modernization. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the US will spend nearly $1 trillion on its nuclear weapons program from 2025 to 2034.
In stark comparison, France has 290 nuclear warheads. The number in its arsenal remained relatively unchanged year-on-year. France plans to spend €5–6 billion per year ($5.4–6.5 billion) on its nuclear weapons program in 2025. Although the figure represents about 15% of the national defense budget, it is a drop in the bucket compared to America’s $81.9 billion annual nuclear budget.
France’s nuclear arsenal is not large enough to act as a global deterrence. The US military has strongholds throughout the world—the Middle East, Europe, Asia, South America, and Antarctica. It gained the title of the world’s global police force for a reason. America’s military presence can be felt and is feared. NATO would be extremely vulnerable without America’s nuclear and financial support.
