Given rising global tensions, fear of war has quietly settled into the public mind. Part of Donald Trump’s reelection messaging focused on keeping U.S. troops out of foreign wars, yet actions linked to Venezuela, Iran rhetoric, and talk about acquiring Greenland have left many uneasy about global stability. At the deepest end of these concerns is the possibility of a large-scale conflict that could reshape life on Earth. Optimists point to treaties and diplomatic safeguards that aim to prevent nuclear catastrophe, but more cautious voices say recent geopolitical moves make escalation seem closer than before.
Unpredictable leadership, strained alliances, and familiar drivers of conflict—pride, power, and dominance—fuel “what if” fears about serious miscalculations. Adding to this anxiety are expert assessments of potential nuclear targets in the United States. Historian Alex Wellerstein explains that if the goal in an attack is to degrade U.S. retaliation, sites like missile bases and command centers near cities such as Great Falls, Cheyenne, Ogden-Clearfield, and Shreveport could be at risk, given their strategic importance.
