Council: Front and Center: October 27, 2025

‘A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE’ PROVIDES RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR CULTURAL RESONANCE

A House of Dynamite is a new nuclear thriller from famed director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Noah Oppenheim that dives deep into the nuclear launch process and explores how a fictional White House would respond to an incoming nuclear attack, including through the use of missile defense. It was released in select theaters October 10, including in DC, where most of the Council team is based, and is now streaming on Netflix.

In an interview with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Bigelow and Oppenheim explained their motivation behind creating this film: to spur public and congressional action on reducing nuclear threats — our core mission at the Council.

“I’d like to see people decide they don’t want to live in a world that’s this volatile or this combustible,” Bigelow said. “And then of course, the next step is to reach out to their representatives and try to, you know, create a movement.”

We couldn’t agree more.

While the film has its imperfections, we can’t deny the rare opportunity it provides those of us in the nuclear arms control community to use pop culture to connect with new audiences on our issues. We are hopeful that all of the resources we’ve been working on related to A House of Dynamite will provide helpful context before, during and after watching the film and that our small communications team can excel at getting these resources in front of people who might want to join us in our efforts.

We know that the only way to avoid nuclear war is through diplomatic efforts to reduce nuclear risks. You can help us make that case to others by sharing the Center‘s many resources and the Council’s action page with your network, family and friends.

BEFORE YOU WATCH: The film’s trailer delivers multiple hints about what’s ahead in the film. This pre-watch guide can help provide valuable context before you watch the film.

WHILE YOU WATCH: Our watch-along guide is designed to briefly explain key points of the film in real time and provide helpful facts to enhance your viewing experience so you can pause and read more or keep watching and come back to answer your questions after you’ve seen the film or during a rewatch.

AFTER YOU WATCH: Listen to the Center‘s latest Nukes of Hazard podcast episode, “Are We Living In A House of Dynamite?” breaking down what was real and what wasn’t, and what we liked and didn’t like. Read: Is ‘A House of Dynamite’ realistic? What does it get right and wrong about missile defense? What does it get right and wrong about the nuclear launch process?

TAKE ACTION: Host a watch party to see the film with people you know who might be interested. Share our resources on social media or however you communicate with your network. Encourage them to follow us on our social media platforms and educate themselves about the nuclear threat.

We believe every member of Congress and everyone on their staffs should see this film and take seriously the issues it highlights. Urge your Members of Congress to watch this film then take action to reduce nuclear risks. Then, take other actions to make sure nuclear risks go down instead of up. Together, we can keep tearing down the house of dynamite we’ve built.

WE’RE HELPING LEAD THE CHARGE ON CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON NEW START

Tuesday, October 28, marks 100 days from the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in February 2026. Be on the lookout this week for more information on how you can demand action from elected officials so that we are not left without any limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals.

Council for a Livable World is a leading organizer of a week of action this week to raise awareness and to call on Members of Congress to wake up to the threat posed by unconstrained nuclear stockpiles. Political Director Connor Murray and Research Analyst Shawn Rostker are hitting the pavement and will meet more than a dozen congressional offices from both sides of the political aisle.

Last month, we told you that Russia claimed to be open to continuing to observe New START numerical limits, but there had been no U.S. response. The White House has since reacted that it “seems a good idea.”

INDIA EXPERIMENTS WITH NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AS IT REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO NO FIRST USE

In late September, New Delhi undertook a first-of-its-kind rail-launched test of the Agni-Prime ballistic missile. India’s DRDO and Strategic Forces Command conducted the “full operational scenario” trial from a boxcar launcher, purportedly a survivability play that leverages India’s vast rail network and pushes Agni-P further along the path from road-mobile to multi-modal deployment.

October then brought the doctrinal counterpoint. At the UN meeting marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, India reaffirmed its No First Use pledge and its doctrine of credible minimum deterrence, including a commitment not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states. In other words, even as India experiments with more survivable basing for its Agni class of nuclear missiles, sometimes perceived as first strike weapons, its stated strategy appears calculated to appeal to global opinion.

SOUTH KOREA WARNS THAT NORTH KOREA IS ON THE BRINK OF WEAPON THAT CAN REACH UNITED STATES

At the end of September, South Korea’s president warned at the UN that North Korea is in the “final stage” of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States with a nuclear warhead, with atmospheric re-entry cited as the last major hurdle. The North’s refusal to consider its arsenal a bargaining chip was then reiterated not long later when a senior North Korean diplomat reiterated at the same UN convenings that the DPRK’s nuclear status is “irreversible” and not up for bargaining, while urging Washington to drop denuclearization demands if talks are to resume.

Between October 8–10, Pyongyang rolled out its biggest military spectacle in years: an 80th-anniversary military parade featuring a suite of various missile capabilities and a lavish display of nuclear-capable systems. The message from the parade was then taken to the launch pad when the North launched several short-range ballistic missiles on October 22 — its first ballistic launch in months, following a busy and unevenly successful spate of tests earlier in the year. State media claims that the launch successfully demonstrated the regime’s novel “hypersonic” capability, but independent experts have yet to verify this claim.

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL OFFICIALLY ENDS AS PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE DIPLOMACY REMAIN UNCERTAIN

On September 27, the United Nations Security Council reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran following the country’s failure to meet the necessary requirements outlined by the European parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, better known as the Iran nuclear deal.

These requirements included immediate access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, surrender of highly enriched uranium stockpile and direct nuclear negotiations with the United States. The sanctions prohibit “Iran from enriching uranium at any level, launching ballistic missiles with nuclear warhead capability and transferring technical knowledge of its ballistic missiles. They also reinstate an arms embargo.”

On October 18, Iran’s foreign ministry announced the expiration of the JCPOA, stating that “all of the provisions, including the restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program and the related mechanisms are considered terminated.” However, in the same statement, the country reconfirmed its commitment to diplomacy. Prospects for diplomacy in the near future remain uncertain.

RECORDING AVAILABLE FOR CENTER’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE 

The Center held its 2025 annual conference earlier this month, with the theme, “Getting Off the Collison Course: A Case Against Arms Racing.” Our collection of expert speakers discussed strategies for avoiding a devastating nuclear arms race by keeping a human in the driver’s seat when it comes to integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear command and control structures, and emphasizing diplomacy with allies and adversaries. If you missed this exciting event, you can watch the recording here!

SHUTDOWN LEADS TO MASSIVE FURLOUGHS AT NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

The U.S. government is in the fourth week of a shutdown. It’s likely that this will become the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Both parties remain entrenched, and there is currently little chance of resolution. Republicans, who control the House, Senate and White House, have refused to negotiate at all. Democrats have maintained that they will not vote to reopen the government without a deal on healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). November 1 is a date to watch as open enrollment for healthcare plans under the ACA begins.

On the nuclear front, the military has continued to receive paychecks as President Trump takes funding from as yet undisclosed parts of the government. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), charged with maintaining and safeguarding U.S. nuclear weapons, was forced to lay off 1,400 employees last week. This is the first time in U.S. history that NNSA layoffs of this magnitude were necessary in a shutdown. The administration claims that the nuclear stockpile remains safe and effective, but only 400 employees remain active at the NNSA.

SENATE PASSES DEFENSE BILL IN A SOMEWHAT SURPRISING MOVE

The Senate passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a 77-20 vote on October 9. Final passage was somewhat of a surprise after the Senate had failed to show any progress for weeks.

No nuclear amendments of substance were voted on during Senate floor consideration; however, a provision revoking the Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. A similar provision was included in the House-passed NDAA which could mean a significant step forward for peace advocates. Council for a Livable World has been active on AUMF issues for a long time.

The House and Senate will now reconcile differences between their two bills, known as conference. Informal negotiations have been ongoing for weeks already and final passage of the NDAA is not likely before the end of the year. As a reminder, you can read analyses of the initial versions of the House and Senate NDAAs on the Center website.

ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENTS KICK OFF THE 2026 MIDTERMS

The Council has endorsed a trio of California incumbents since our last newsletter, all of whom face tough challenges in their 2026 elections. As California voters decide whether to redraw their congressional maps in November, there are still some questions to be answered in the Golden State.

Reps. Josh Harder (D-CA-09), Derek Tran (D-CA-45) and Dave Min (D-CA-47) all won close elections in 2024 by less than 4% each. Rep. Harder serves on the important House Appropriations Committee and will be a key ally under a new majority in the next Congress. Rep. Tran serves on the House Armed Services Committee and has the potential to become a champion on Council issues. Rep. Min has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration in his first term and is specifically focused on corruption, an important oversight topic including on national security issues. Bookmark this page to keep up with and donate to all of our endorsed candidates.

NEW ON THE NUKES OF HAZARD BLOG: GOVERNING NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE AND NOT USING HOPE AS A STRATEGY

Hope Is Not a Strategy: Senior Policy Director John Erath writes that arms control is a means, not an end. “The overall goal is a safer, more secure world, and arms control is one tool, a valuable one, to help us get there. It should, however, be combined with efforts to resolve the insecurities that led to the development of nuclear weapons.”

Intangible Threats: How Uncontrolled Knowledge Fuels Proliferation: American University graduate student Mathew Montiel writes for the Center‘s Next Up in Arms Control blog series that while gaps remain between the expertise, infrastructure and materials needed to build nuclear weapons, those gaps are closing, presenting a new security threat.

CONSIDER BECOMING A MONTHLY DONOR

As election season nears, the Council is also hard at work on its advocacy on Capitol Hill. Have you considered making a monthly donation to support our efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear threats through political action? You can donate as little as $1 a month. Become a monthly supporter today!