As global tensions keep climbing between world leaders and major nations, a nuclear expert has stepped in to highlight which US cities could be at serious risk if World War 3 were to break out.
Just last week, President Donald Trump gave the go-ahead for a US military strike on nuclear facilities in Iran. This move hasn’t gone down well with Russian President Vladimir Putin—who is still deep in conflict with Ukraine after initiating an invasion back in February 2022.
The 79-year-old former US President has repeatedly pushed for his 72-year-old Russian counterpart to find common ground with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in hopes of securing a peace deal. But despite these efforts, there appears to be no sign of real progress. The situation today looks just as tense as it did six months ago.
To complicate matters even more, Trump has also waged trade wars with several major countries—including Canada, Mexico, and more significantly, China. The latter is especially concerning due to its massive military and the ongoing friction between the two nations.
Now, Professor Alex Wellerstein, a well-known nuclear historian at the Stevens Institute of Technology, has compiled a list of 15 US cities he believes could be prime targets if hostile nations decided to launch a nuclear assault on American soil.
While speaking to the Daily Mail, he explained: “If the adversary is Russia and their goal is to disable US retaliation, command centers and ICBM sites will be hit first. If the attacker is a rogue actor, symbolic or densely populated areas might be targeted instead.”
Great Falls, Montana
At first glance, Great Falls, Montana, with its modest population of just 60,422, might not seem like a place that would top anyone’s nuclear target list—especially not Putin’s. After all, Montana is only the fourth largest state in terms of area and has a little over 1.1 million residents.
But there’s more beneath the surface. Great Falls sits relatively close to Malmstrom Air Force Base, a critical site believed to oversee hundreds of nuclear missile silos. That kind of military significance makes it a place that countries like Russia and China wouldn’t overlook if a world war ever broke out.
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, located just south of Montana in Wyoming, is another city that could be in serious danger, even though it’s nearly 10 hours away by car from Great Falls.
This relatively small city has a population of around 65,168, but what makes it stand out is the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base nestled within its limits.
This base plays a key role in managing US nuclear missile systems. So, if any conflict were to escalate, people living in Cheyenne could sadly end up in the line of fire simply because of what’s located there.
Wyoming small capital, Cheyenne, could be completely wiped out by a nukeGetty stock
Ogden and Clearfield, Utah
If you happen to live in either Ogden or Clearfield, Utah—which sit about 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City and right near the Great Salt Lake—you might want to take note. Especially if you believe World War 3 is a real possibility.
Combined, these two cities have a population of 121,737.
But it’s not the people or the cities themselves that would likely be the target. The real concern is Hill Air Force Base, a major site for the US’ nuclear capabilities, which sits nearby and could draw serious enemy attention.