# Inside the push to modernize the US nuclear arsenal

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-excerpt-742145/inside-the-push-to-modernize-the-us-nuclear-arsenal
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-excerpt-742145/inside-the-push-to-modernize-the-us-nuclear-arsenal.md
Podcast: [The Excerpt](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-excerpt-742145)
Published: 2026-07-07T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.art19.com/episodes/0490f976-5159-4ed4-9273-a445d3160135.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
Audio file: https://rss.art19.com/episodes/0490f976-5159-4ed4-9273-a445d3160135.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
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Duration seconds: 1060

## Resource

It’s the worst-cast scenario no one wants to talk about: what happens if America's nuclear missile silos are attacked? The Minuteman III is a powerful intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking targets on the other side of the world, and it could be our best bet. But it’s aging, and land-based ICBMs have an Achilles heel. USA TODAY Defense Reporter Davis Winkie joins The Excerpt to discuss “The Nuclear Sponge” – a five-part project by USA TODAY that dives into the strategic debate and costs of modernizing the land leg of America’s nuclear arsenal. (This episode originally aired on January 7, 2026.) Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com .  Episode transcript available here .  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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## Transcript

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