Military
President Can Launch Nuclear Weapons Without Consulting Anyone, Says Former Officer
Everyday Spy
What Happens When the President Gives the Nuclear Launch Order?
What was said
"If the President decides to send a nuclear order, then the football is opened and inside the football are materials so that he can create validate an official nuclear message. And that message is sent worldwide or sent nationwide to all of our nuclear-capable devices. And then people in the silos like me get that order, decipher it, decode it, put our keys in, turn the keys. No questions asked. None."
Former nuclear missile officer Andrew Gregg reveals that the President of the United States has unilateral authority to launch nuclear weapons without consulting generals, advisors, or anyone else. At age 24, Gregg commanded 10 missiles with 30 warheads at 99% readiness. He confirms that missile officers receive the launch order directly from the President and execute it immediately with no verification or deliberation process.
Verification status
Attributed speaker claim
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Source and context
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- Programme
- Everyday Spy
- Episode
- What Happens When the President Gives the Nuclear Launch Order?
- Clip time
- 2:41
- Original source
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Everyday Spy