Biden takes control of US nuclear weapons (but not Trump’s)

It seldom happens that the outgoing president actually leaves earlier, before his successor takes office. Usually one last meeting. In which nuclear data is also transferred. But of course Donald Trump is different. Still not acknowledging Joe Biden’s gains, Trump is expected to leave the White House sooner.

But the transfer of nuclear codes will of course continue and must be done in a very precise manner. Because by the time Biden becomes president, he – and no longer Trump – will be immediately responsible for America’s nuclear weapons. That time is constitutionally fixed: January 20 at noon local time in Washington (6:00 p.m. our time).

‘Nuclear football’

First of all, a nice detail: it’s actually not a nuclear button, but a suitcase with twenty kilograms of equipment and coded data that is needed to carry out a nuclear attack at any time of the day.

This bag is called “nuclear football” in military jargon. He always goes wherever the president goes. A soldier wears it and always stays close to the president. As soon as he resigns, he passes the ball to his successor.

Another fact: there are more of these suitcases, nuclear expert Stephen Schwartz of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists organization told CNN: “There are at least three or four identical ‘balls.’ We stay with the president. One with the Vice President, and there is also traditionally one for the “Designated Survivor” on occasions like inaugurations or the President’s annual State of the Union Address to Parliament.

According to Schwartz, Vice President Pence’s suitcase will remain in Washington anyway. After all, he said he would attend Biden’s inauguration. In principle, his suitcase is there too. “But this time around we may have been specially prepared for Biden.”

Biskwietje

The incumbent president also has a special plastic card called “the cookie”. The biscuit. It contains all kinds of unique codes that the president needs to trigger a nuclear attack. You cannot do without it. In short: a soldier wears nuclear football, and the president has his cookie that he must always take with him.

Donald Trump is president until 11 a.m., 59 minutes and 59 seconds on January 20. Until then, he has the power to control America’s nuclear arsenal. The nuclear football soldier who travels with Trump on Air Force One in Florida will step down. from Trump’s company at noon and back to Washington with the suitcase, ”Schwartz said.

At that precise moment, Joe Biden’s cookie is activated, the unique data card. Trump becomes invalid. The new president will then be the one who controls America’s nuclear weapons.

Upwelling

By the way, it is not the case that a president can launch a nuclear attack on a whim. More moments of security are integrated. Nuclear football also contains all kinds of communication equipment, and an attack order must also pass the highest commanders of the army. They then assess whether there is a legitimate target. Otherwise, nothing will happen.

Since the takeover of Capitol Hill by Trump supporters, Democrats have not been completely reassured about a smooth transfer of power. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reached out to Supreme General Mark Milley earlier this month to discuss “ measures to prevent an unstable president ” from launching a military or even nuclear attack.

According to Pelosi, she is confident that all security measures are in place, sources say. So if all goes well, we will see in front of the cameras a new president taking an oath of hand in hand on the Constitution. And we do not notice that this time too football is discreetly transferred behind the scenes with nuclear energy.