{"id":2383,"date":"2026-07-28T23:05:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2383"},"modified":"2026-07-28T23:05:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:05:09","slug":"nuclear-expert-reveals-us-cities-that-would-be-first-targets-if-ww3-breaks-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/?p=2383","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Expert Reveals US Cities That Would Be First Targets If WW3 Breaks Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

A nuclear expert has revealed the\u00a0US\u00a0cities that would be most at risk if WW3 breaks out.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The question keeping many Americans awake at night isn\u2019t whether global tensions are rising: it\u2019s whether they\u2019re living in a potential strike zone without even realizing it.<\/p>\n

As the situation intensifies, nuclear security experts are revisiting scenarios most people would prefer to ignore.<\/p>\n

Professor Alex Wellerstein, a nuclear historian at Stevens Institute of Technology and creator of the widely-used NUKEMAP weapons effects simulator, recently outlined the American cities most vulnerable to attack if global conflict escalates.<\/p>\n

While nuclear war remains highly unlikely due to its catastrophic consequences for all parties involved, the locations identified may surprise many Americans who\u2019ve never considered their proximity to priority targets.<\/p>\n

\"War\"
There are certain cities more at risk if WW3 breaks out. Credit: Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Donald Trump\u2019s Greenland obsession<\/h2>\n

Recent weeks have seen an unprecedented surge in geopolitical anxiety, largely driven by President\u00a0Donald Trump\u2018s aggressive rhetoric on multiple fronts.<\/p>\n

His renewed interest in\u00a0annexing Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory with strategic Arctic positioning, has sparked serious diplomatic friction with Denmark and other European allies.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s desire for Greenland isn\u2019t merely symbolic \u2013 the island\u2019s geographic location offers critical advantages for military positioning, rare earth minerals essential for modern technology, and control over increasingly accessible Arctic shipping routes as ice caps recede.<\/p>\n

Denmark has firmly rejected any notion of ceding the territory, leading Trump to announce proposed tariffs on the\u00a0UK\u00a0and other European nations over the dispute.<\/p>\n

These tensions arrive alongside Trump\u2019s seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and continuing threats about potential intervention in Iran, creating a volatile mix of international flashpoints.<\/p>\n

Combined with Russia\u2019s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and simmering conflicts in Syria, the confluence of crises has prompted serious discussions about conscription in several nations.<\/p>\n

\"Trump\"
Donald Trump\u2019s preoccupation with Greenland is causing worldwide unrest. Credit: Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who would face the draft?<\/h2>\n

Should conflict escalate to the point of requiring conscription, specific demographic groups would likely receive call-ups first.<\/p>\n

Military experts\u00a0suggest\u00a0that individuals with prior service experience, those in reserve components, and young adults aged 18-26 would top the list.<\/p>\n

Specialized skills in technology, medicine, and engineering could also make certain civilians priority recruits.<\/p>\n

However, certain height requirements might exempt some individuals from service, as military standards typically require recruits to meet minimum and maximum height thresholds for equipment compatibility and operational effectiveness, and there are certain categories of\u00a0people who are likely to remain safe.<\/p>\n

Safer areas<\/h2>\n

Contrary to popular assumption, America\u2019s largest cities aren\u2019t necessarily the most dangerous locations in a nuclear scenario.<\/p>\n

Remote rural areas far from military installations, major population centers, and critical infrastructure would offer the best chances of avoiding direct strikes.<\/p>\n

The Pacific Northwest\u2019s inland regions, parts of the Appalachian Mountains, and scattered rural communities across the Great Plains lacking nearby military facilities represent safer zones.<\/p>\n

However, even these areas wouldn\u2019t escape the broader consequences of nuclear conflict, including radioactive fallout, supply chain collapse, and long-term environmental catastrophe.<\/p>\n

\"Army\"
There are certain American cities most vulnerable to attack if global conflict escalates. Credit: Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most vulnerable locations<\/h2>\n

Wellerstein\u2019s analysis for\u00a0MailOnline\u00a0reveals that approximately 22 million Americans live in the 15 cities facing the highest risk: a figure that balloons when considering surrounding metropolitan areas.<\/p>\n

The targeting strategy depends heavily on the adversary\u2019s objectives: Russia would likely prioritize disabling America\u2019s retaliatory capabilities by striking command centers and ICBM sites first, while a rogue actor might focus on symbolic or densely populated areas.<\/p>\n

The most counterintuitive findings involve smaller cities that few would consider high-value targets.<\/p>\n

Great Falls, Montana, with just over 60,000 residents, ranks among America\u2019s most vulnerable locations due to Malmstrom Air Force Base controlling 150 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile silos spread across 13,800 square miles.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Cheyenne, Wyoming, population 65,168, faces extreme risk from Francis E Warren Air Force Base\u2019s nuclear missile command infrastructure.<\/p>\n

These remote western communities essentially function as \u2018nuclear sponges,\u2019 designed to absorb strikes that might otherwise target major population centers, a strategic burden their residents may not fully comprehend.<\/p>\n

\"USA\"
A nuclear expert has revealed the US cities that would be most at risk if WW3 breaks out. Credit: Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The complete vulnerability list includes Great Falls, Montana; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Ogden\/Clearfield, Utah (near Hill Air Force Base); and Shreveport, Louisiana, located just six miles from B-52 bombers capable of delivering nuclear payloads.<\/p>\n

Honolulu\u2019s Pacific naval and air operations make it a prime target, while Omaha, Nebraska hosts Offutt Air Force Base, a former Cold War command hub.<\/p>\n

Colorado Springs faces unique risks as home to NORAD headquarters, while Albuquerque sits near Kirtland Air Force Base and what experts believe is the\u00a0world\u2018s largest nuclear weapons stockpile.<\/p>\n

Washington, DC\u2019s federal government infrastructure makes it an obvious target, as does Seattle\u2019s Naval Base Kitsap.<\/p>\n

Seattle presents additional challenges, surrounded by mountains and waterways, the city offers limited land-based evacuation routes that could trap residents during a crisis.<\/p>\n

The nation\u2019s major population and economic centers round out the list: San Francisco, Houston (America\u2019s energy capital with 2.3 million residents), Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, whose 8.8 million inhabitants make it the country\u2019s largest potential casualty zone.<\/p>\n

Dr. Irwin Redlener, founding director of Columbia University\u2019s National Center for Disaster Preparedness, told the\u00a0International Business Times\u00a0that these cities face elevated risks due to their combined economic, governmental, and symbolic importance. Targeting them would devastate not only lives but American morale and infrastructure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A nuclear expert has revealed the\u00a0US\u00a0cities that would be most at risk if WW3 breaks out. The question keeping many Americans awake at night isn\u2019t whether global tensions are rising: … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-2383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending","tag-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2384,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2383\/revisions\/2384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}