Can the most powerful office on Earth, the President of the United States, be prevented from ordering a nuclear attack? Apparently, for precautionary purposes, former President Donald Trump has been inhibited from full control and the ability to order an attack with normal and unconventional weapons.
A new book tells the story of "For the" from Bob woodward e Robert Costa of the Washington Post. An account of Trump's last days in office based on over 200 eyewitness interviews. Woodward and Costa also delve into the early days of Biden's presidency. The book is the fruit of "classified" material, testimonies of secret orders, diaries, e-mails, meeting notes and personal government documents. The release to the general public is scheduled for 21 September next.
In the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the general Mark milley - then former President Donald Trump's chief military adviser - took all necessary precautions to limit Trump's ability to launch a military strike or deploy nuclear weapons. The two writers write that Milley feared Trump had built "his own alternate reality on electoral conspiracies" and was concerned that the former president might betray America and his tenure. As CNN reports, Milley allegedly told senior collaborators on the presidential staff that "you never know where a president acts autonomously".
General Milley called a secret meeting of senior military officials at the Pentagon on January 8 to review the procedures that allow the US president autonomy in deciding on missile launches with nuclear warheads. He then instructed the heads of the National Military Command Center, the Pentagon's war room, not to take orders from anyone without their involvement.
According to CNN, he allegedly told officials “No matter what you are told, go through the procedure. Do the process. And I'm part of that procedure ". Milley then looked each officer in the eye and asked them to verbally confirm that they understood his instructions.
Milley decided to take action that day after a phone call with the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. According to the Washington Post, Pelosi asked to know "What precautions are available to prevent an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike?"
"He is crazy. You know he's crazy. ... He is crazy and what he did yesterday is further proof of his madnessHe said, according to the WP. Milley replied: "I agree with you on everything".
Milley's decision to stand between Trump and military action is reminiscent of what James R. Schlesinger, defense secretary under the president, did Richard Nixon. In August 1974, Schlesinger ordered military officials to warn him and the Chief of Defense before carrying out orders from Nixon, who was facing impeachment proceedings at the time.
According to WP Milley also reassured the Chinese general Li Zuocheng that the United States had no intention of launching a missile attack on China.
The first phone call with the Chinese senior official came on October 30, 2020, after Milley examined intelligence reports that China believed the United States was preparing for an attack due to military exercises in the South China Sea. and Trump's declared antagonism.
"General Li, you and I have known each other for five years now. If we're going to attack, I'll call you ahead of time. It won't be a surprise ".
But the events of January 6 renewed Li's concerns. On January 8, Milley once again assured the Chinese general: “We are 100% stable. It's all OK. But democracy can sometimes be misinterpreted ".
On the same day, according to the newspaper, Milley contacted the admiral who oversaw the US Indo-Pacific military command to recommend the postponement of military exercises.