Doomsday Clock strikes 85 seconds to midnight as scientists concern Trump’s Golden Dome

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists have revealed their 2026 Doomsday Clock time – and it chillingly has moved closer to midnight.

The Clock is set by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board (SASB) and now stands at 85 seconds to midnight, fuelling fears it could soon be the end of the world as we know it. It is now the closest the world has ever been to disaster. A member of SASB also brought forward the threat of Trump’s special dome for national security actually being a threat to the world, potentially sparking a war in space.

During the announcement, the SASB wrote about the nuclear threat as more dangerous weapons are being created. They said there is currently a arms race and are scared a treaty stopping Russia and US will expire, allowing them to stockpile.

Artificial intelligence also raised concern as they raised even US President Trump using fake generated images in misinformation.

They also raised concern over Trump’s Golden Dome creating a war in space by storing his weapons in space. The SASB claim this could spark action from Russia and China. Trump’s has spoken of his Golden Dome several times in recent weeks as he claimed his takeover of Greenland would be key to it.

Steve Fetter, Bulletin Science and Security Board member and professor of public policy and former dean at the University of Maryland, slammed Trump and raised concerns over his Golden Dome.

He said: “President’s Trump’s proposed Golden Dome which has called for the placing of missile defence interceptors in space.

“While those would probably not be useful in protecting us from nuclear attacks, they would be able to be used against other objects in space and this could trigger a competition with Russia and China to place their weapons in space. And pose the possibility of a war in space.”

Although the Doomsday Clock seems terrifying, it is purely a chilling symbol for world leaders to get their act together rather than predicting the end of days.

However, the fact that the clock has moved from the 2025 time of 89 seconds to midnight, should cause concern.

With Russia and Ukraine continuing their war, Trump kidnapping leaders of other countries and threatening to take land from a European – and not to mention Trump’s threats to strike Iran, is it any wonder the clock has moved?

Speaking about the decision last year, editor John Mecklin said: “In 2024, humanity edged ever closer to catastrophe. Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course.

“Consequently, we now move the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to catastrophe. Our fervent hope is that leaders will recognize the world’s existential predicament and take bold action to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the potential misuse of biological science and a variety of emerging technologies.

“In setting the Clock one second closer to midnight, we send a stark signal: Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, a move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning that every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster.”

The decision in 2025 raised concern over the threat of nuclear weapons being used and also concern over how artificial intelligence will play a part a part in the future. They were also concerned over the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, which still remain area of conflict.

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