Today, at the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) full-committee hearing, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10), Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, discussed the nuclear threat posed towards the U.S. with Intelligence Community leaders. During his exchange with Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Turner pressed whether or not the nuclear threat is increasing.

Click to watch line of questioning

HPSCI Ranking Member Turner: “Would it be correct to characterize that likely your assessment is that the (nuclear) threat is increasing?”

DNI Dir. Haines: “The threat is increasing generally, yes. I think that is fair.”

The exchange followed after an open dialogue on Vladimir Putin’s nuclear capabilities and the modernization of Russia’s weapon systems.

Summary of what the Intelligence Community leaders had say:

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines noted that Putin’s public statement on the special alert status was very unusual.

Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns added that the risk will rise in regards Russia’s nuclear threat, noting Russia’s doctrine of escalating to deescalate. 
 

Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Ltg. Scott Berrier added that Putin has invested in nuclear tactical weapons. Berrier continued that when Putin says something, the United States should be very very careful and maybe take him at his word. In conclusion, he stated that this is the question analysts are pondering right now and the U.S. needs to do some more work on it.

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