Can Trump fire Nuclear Missiles?

[Jspur]

I guess I want to know if he can decide to push the button to fire them or does he need to have the approval of few other people before he can launch them? From what I have been reading about nuclear football it seems like no one could stop him if he really wanted to launch them.

[Turbineguy]

1. It was disconnected for Nixon for a while.

If it is disconnected, nobody will say so.

[SomedayKindaLove]

16. Who has the power to decide on disconnecting?

[Turbineguy]

26. In the Nixon situation it was the Secretary of Defense

They don't really have it, but they took it. I don't know if any of these clowns have the kind of courage it takes to keep a madman from blowing up the world.

[SomedayKindaLove]

28. Well he just fired the Secretary of Defense

Who has been quoted as essentially saying, ‘If he hires a yes man, god help us.”

[MiniMe]

2. Unfortunately, he can

I would hope that he isn't stupid enough to do that. But it is Donald.

[Jspur]

3. That it is my fear that when it finally settles in for him that he's not

going to win that he will become even crazier and more vindictive. I think there is a chance this man could decide to end the world simply because he has nothing to look forward to.

[dware]

4. No, HE cannot launch the missiles,

the football is a communication device, not a button the movies like to portray, also, the actual firing requires 2 people turning keys at the same time and they have to agree that the order is legit, also, I believe that the Pres. has to have another person authenticate the launch codes before any launch order is sent to the various nuclear missile commands.

[SomedayKindaLove]

15. So he only needs three cult members in this scenario?

[dware]

18. In theory, yes,

but, again, the actual launching is much more complicated than that, there are numerous safe guards against such a scenario.

[sarisataka]

5. Well if he can get into a silo and light the fuze...

Does the President need to get approval from anyone- no

So if he gives the order will the missles launch- maybe

The football is not a button connected directly to the missiles. It sends codes down the chain of command to people who would carry out a launch order. If an out-of-the-blue order comes to launch, those people will ask questions and for confirmation.

[kirkuchiyo]

8. As someone

who has been under one of those missiles, there isn't a fuse. Not to mention his fat ass wouldn't fit under there anyways...

Also not recommended for people who are scared of heights...

[sarisataka]

9. Perhaps I was thinking of

The procedure to launch North Korean missiles

[kirkuchiyo]

12. Perhaps! :)

[dware]

13. You mean something like this?

[Jspur]

24. That had me laughing hard picturing Trump

as the coyote.

[exboyfil]

6. Dead Zone

Greg Stillson : You put your god damn hand on that scanning screen, or I'll hack it off and put it on for you!

The General was a pussy. He should have attacked Stillson instead. Not saying it would work.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

27. Donnie's hand would be too small to be picked up by the scanner.

[Aristus]

30. Stillson's crony Sonny was there to make sure that didn't happen.

In the book, Sonny went from leather-and-denim outlaw biker to suit-and-tie enforcer over the course of Stillson’s political career.

[Harker]

7. He's firing everything else. n/t

[Jspur]

10. Lol for some reason I can laugh

that line.

[Harker]

19. It's not always easy.

It can be a tension breaker at times, though.

[Turin_C3PO]

11. He can order a nuclear strike.

But the actual launching has to be done by two other people, I believe. I'm quite sure that the order would be disobeyed unless there was a clear, legitimate reason for such a strike.

[dware]

14. Exactly. nt

[Strelnikov_]

20. My understanding is that the 'two man rule' applies all the way through the system, as you note.

From CIC authorizing the release of nuclear weapons, to the 'Pentagon' command chain, to the LCF's in the high plains and the boomer's out in the ocean where the actual 'button' is pushed.

[machoneman]

22. Too late for the missile subs. It would take time to transmit orders to submerged subs. Faster and...

...far more worrisome is a land-based launch of our siloed missiles.

[dware]

23. You are correct,

there are numerous safeguards built into the system to deter such a scenario.

[Cartaphelius]

17. Only if McTurtle gives him one

to "fire" with his ass... Hopefully.

[machoneman]

21. More than the 2 man rule methinks. IIRC, the order goes 1st to....

...the JCS generals on call at that moment. 2 of them have to agree to pass along the order. Then, in missile silos. once the order is received and verified, the two AF officers on call must agree, open safes, grab 2 keys and then turn both to affect a launch. Movies, SAC videos, media videos have cataloged these steps in numerous episodes, broadcasts, etc.

Sadly though, yes he can start the process as CIC.

[dware]

25. ....

Sadly though, yes he can start the process as CIC

Luckily, there are numerous safeguards built into the system to stop a madman, like Pissolini.

[tandem5]

29. It's that line of people that extends from him to the silo...

There aren't any special codes that circumvent human judgement, but he can also control who those people are.