Conference # Nuclear Proliferation in US Grand Strategy ##### Watch the Event Submit questions in the comment box on this page and join the conversation on social media using [\#CatoEvents](https://x.com/hashtag/CatoEvents). For event updates, follow [@CatoInstitute](https://x.com/catoinstitute) on X. If you have questions about the event or your registration, please email . #### Submit a Question Date and Time June 24, 2026 10 AM - 2:05 PM EDT Location Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC Share This Event [Register](https://register.cato.org/nuclear-proliferation-in-US-grand-strategy) ##### Featuring ![James M. Acton](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/james-m-acton-modified.png?itok=GpAf7mto) James Acton Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace ![Eric Brewer](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/eric-brewer-modified.png?itok=WoGmQ0rP) Eric Brewer Deputy Vice President, Nuclear Threat Initiative ![Astrid Chevreuil](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/Astrid-Chevreuil-modified.png?itok=nC-JbGSd) Astrid Chevreuil Visiting Fellow, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS [![Benjamin Giltner Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-07/Benjamin%20Giltner%20Cropped.png?itok=CDpEIqaz)](/people/benjamin-giltner) [Benjamin Giltner](/people/benjamin-giltner) Policy Analyst, Cato Institute [ ](mailto:bgiltner@cato.org) ![Jennifer Lind](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-02/jennifer-lind%20Cropped.jpg?itok=hOs-RPyb) Jennifer Lind Associate Professor of Government, Dartmouth College [![Justin Logan cropped portrait new](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-08/Justin-Logan-cropped.jpg?itok=1xXiDWfG)](/people/justin-logan) [Justin Logan](/people/justin-logan) Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute [ ](https://x.com/JustinTLogan) [ ](mailto:jlogan@cato.org) ![Austin Long](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/austin-long-modified.png?itok=Fw3T-kzn) Austin Long Senior Nuclear Fellow, Center for Nuclear Security Policy, MIT ![Richard Nephew](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/richard-nephew-modified.png?itok=InPOBUD_) Richard Nephew Research Scholar, SIPA, Columbia University ![Robert Peters](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/robert%20peters-modified.png?itok=HbONzkin) Robert Peters Assistant Director, Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for National Security, Heritage Foundation [![Evan Sankey - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-08/2015-06-12-Cato%20Institute-Evan%20Sankey--cropped.jpg?itok=OUint3Re)](/people/evan-sankey) [Evan Sankey](/people/evan-sankey) Policy Analyst, Cato Institute [ ](mailto:esankey@cato.org) ![Mallory Stewart](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/mallory-stewart-modified.png?itok=onCDUNXw) Mallory Stewart Chief Executive Officer, Council on Strategic Risks ![Jon Wolfsthal](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2026-05/Jon-Wolfsthal-modified.png?itok=hGoLMFmi) Jon Wolfsthal Fellow for Nuclear Policy, PAX sapiens Since the 1960s, the US government has devoted considerable resources to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to both its adversaries and its partners. This ambitious goal exerts an important—sometimes decisive—influence on US decisions about its alliance network, its global military posture, the size and configuration of its nuclear forces, and whether to send US soldiers to wage preventive war. US policies have helped limit the number of nuclear-armed countries to nine, but growing proliferation incentives and strains on American grand strategy may eventually force US policymakers to reconsider anti-proliferation maximalism. Please join us for a day-long conference with leading experts on the carrots and sticks of US policy and whether they will remain effective at acceptable cost to Americans. --- ### Schedule 10:00 - 10:05 AM **Welcoming Remarks** 10:05 - 11:05 AM **Panel 1: Adversary Proliferation** *What should US policy toward adversary proliferation be? Are preventive strikes effective, or should the US lean more on diplomacy? How will the US war against Iran affect the incentives for countries to proliferate?* **James Acton**, Co-Director, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace **Robert Peters**, Assistant Director, Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for National Security, Heritage Foundation **Richard Nephew**, Research Scholar, SIPA, Columbia University Moderated by **Justin Logan**, Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute 11:20 AM - 12:20 PM **Panel 2: Friendly Proliferation** *Worsening international security conditions and doubts about the reliability of US guarantees are fueling sustained debate in some allied capitals over whether to develop independent deterrents. Should the US position on friendly proliferation evolve? Will it? What would be the consequences of friendly countries getting nuclear weapons?* **Astrid Chevreuil**, Visiting Fellow, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program, CSIS *(attending by Zoom)* **Jennifer Lind**, Associate Professor of Government, Dartmouth College *(attending by Zoom)* **Eric Brewer**, Deputy Vice President, Nuclear Threat Initiative Moderated by **Evan Sankey**, Policy Analyst, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute 12:20 - 1:05 PM **Lunch** 1:05 - 2:05 PM **Panel 3: US Nuclear Forces** *How do US non- and counter-proliferation policies interact with its nuclear force planning? How many and what types of nuclear weapons does the United States need? And how much should US taxpayers be willing to pay for modernization and potential growth of the US nuclear forces?* **Austin Long**, Senior Nuclear Fellow, Center for Nuclear Security Policy, MIT **Jon Wolfsthal**, Fellow for Nuclear Policy, PAX sapiens **Mallory Stewart**, Chief Executive Officer, Council on Strategic Risks Moderated by **Benjamin Giltner**, Policy Analyst, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute 2:05 - 3:05 PM **Reception** [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).