President Trump Should Not Be Able To Use Nuclear Weapons, Markey And McGovern Say
WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she has spoken to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing President Donald Trump from initiating military actions or a nuclear strike.
Pelosi said in a statement to colleagues Friday that she spoke with Gen. Mark Milley. She said she spoke to the top general about "precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike."
A spokesperson for Milley confirmed to CBS News that the call happened, and said he answered her questions about the process of nuclear command authority.
Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Jim McGovern, of Massachusetts, sent a letter to Milley and Acting Defense Sec. Chris Miller with similar concerns.
"We write to request your commitment not to carry out any order given by President Donald J. Trump to use nuclear weapons, or that could provoke or result in their use," their letter stated. "Further, we urge you to ensure the lawfulness of any military directive from the White House before the end of President Trump's term in office and its compliance with clear congressional authorization."
This week, Trump showed the world just how dangerous he is. But he still has his finger on the button. Assurances of sanity from him are worthless. @RepMcGovern and I demand our military leadership pledge to refuse any Trump orders to use nuclear weapons:https://t.co/mWwEXbm8lU https://t.co/Qt24aSvw1P
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) January 8, 2021
Democrats are discussing whether to act quickly to impeach Trump as soon as next week. This comes after Trump encouraged loyalists who ransacked the Capitol in a siege that has left five people dead.
"It has become increasingly clear over the last few days that President Trump is unfit for office, is unable to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities as president — including his duties as Commander-in-Chief under Article II — and is a demonstrable threat to peace and security," Markey and McGovern wrote. "This sad conclusion demands close monitoring of all military orders emanating from the White House to ensure their lawfulness and compliance with congressional authorization, and must especially include a refusal to execute any Trump order for the first use of a nuclear weapon."
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