Patty-Jane is the policy analyst for nuclear deterrence and missile defense at The Heritage Foundation. A budget that does not fully support modernization at a time when nuclear threats are growing would be nothing less than irresponsible. Doug Mills / Pool / Getty Images Key Takeaways Reducing the nuclear modernization budget is incompatible with maintaining a “strong, credible nuclear deterrent.” You can’t have it both ways. With nuclear modernization already late-to-need, delays could stick the U.S. with Cold War capabilities whose deterrence value erodes as they continue to age. Never before has the United States had to deter two peer adversaries—and deter them differently—at the same time.