House Speaker
Mark Milley Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing President
Donald Trump from firing nuclear weapons in the final days of his term.
In a letter to her Democratic colleagues in the House, Pelosi said that she spoke with Milley on Friday morning to discuss measures to keep the outgoing president from launching nukes.
“This morning, I spoke to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike,” Pelosi wrote. “The situation of this unhinged President could not be more dangerous, and we must do everything that we can to protect the American people from his unbalanced assault on our country and our democracy.”
Speaker Pelosi says she spoke to top US general about Trump and nuclear codes
From CNN s Phil Mattingly
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pictured during Electoral College vote certifications at the Capitol on January 6. Caroline Brehman/Pool/AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told members in a letter that she spoke to the chairman of the joint chiefs about President Trump and the nuclear codes. This morning, I spoke to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike, Pelosi wrote. The situation of this unhinged President could not be more dangerous, and we must do everything that we can to protect the American people from his unbalanced assault on our country and our democracy.
WASHINGTON â House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she has spoken to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing an unhinged President Donald Trump from ordering military actions including a possible nuclear strike in his final days and hours at the White House.
The president has sole authority in the U.S. government to order the launch of a nuclear weapon. But a military commander could refuse the order if it were determined to be illegal. Trump has been making no such threats.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Pelosi said the situation of âthis unhinged president could not be more dangerous.â
January 8, 2021
Dear Democratic Colleague,
It is a spirit of pride and with great solemnity that I write to you about the events of this past week.
Thank You to Members Defending Democracy: On Wednesday evening, following an horrific assault on our Democracy, our Democratic Caucus showed to the country and to the world that we would not be diverted from our duty to validate the election of President-elect Joe Biden. Despite the desecration of the temple of our democracy, the House upheld its responsibility to the Constitution and to the American people. My deepest gratitude goes to our scholars – Reps. Raskin, Lofgren, Schiff, and Neguse – and to the delegations of Arizona and Pennsylvania facing objections who made the case for respecting the will of the American people.