In February I wrote to President Obama and asked him to reject plans to produce the new air-dropped nuclear cruise missile, remove warheads from a hair-trigger “launch on warning” status, renounce the policy that currently allows the U.S. to strike first with nuclear warheads, and press Congress to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Later that month the White House approved plans for the new nuclear cruise missile and on March 16 sent me the following response. I resigned my officer commission in protest to this and U.S. drone policy on April 12.

Dear Chris:

Thank you for writing, and for your service to our country. I have heard from many Americans on issues related to nuclear nonproliferation,

arms control, and energy.

Nuclear weapons and their proliferation pose some of the gravest threats to America and the world—from states like North Korea defying international obligations surrounding its nuclear program to the potential of terrorists obtaining these weapons. Since the end of the Cold War, the threat of a global nuclear war has decreased, but the risk of nuclear attack has increased.

As we seek to end this threat, we must not block the use of nuclear energy as one option to help the world confront the effects of climate change. My Administration will continue to partner with the international community to limit the danger of nuclear weapons while encouraging the peaceful use of nuclear energy under the highest standards of safety and security.

As Commander in Chief, I am committed to stopping nuclear proliferation and seeking a world free of nuclear weapons. My Administration will keep improving America’s export control system and promoting the development and implementation of export controls throughout the world, ensuring there are appropriate and effective measures against the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and their delivery systems.

We will also keep working collaboratively with our international partners in the Proliferation Security Initiative, breaking up black markets, detecting and intercepting WMD materials in transit, and using financial tools to disrupt this dangerous trade.

At the same time, we are leading efforts to reduce nuclear arsenals, building support in the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and moving forward in efforts to negotiate a verifiable Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty. My Administration signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START Treaty) with Russia to reduce our warheads and delivery systems, consistent with our commitments under the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty. Our goal is to accelerate dismantlement of retired United States nuclear warheads by 20 percent. Finally, I will

host the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in an effort to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture and increase nuclear security cooperation on a variety of important issues.

To learn more, visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/Issues/ForeignPolicy.

Thank you again for writing on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama