Access to Nuclear Weapons: Has Trump’s Power Been Restrained?


Status: 15.09.2021 7:19 p.m.

In January, supporters of the elected US President Trump stormed the Capitol. According to a new disclosure book, the top US general then restricted Trump’s access to nuclear weapons – and contacted China.

By Sebastian Hesse, ARD-Studio Washington

Reporter legend Bob Woodward’s disclosure book – written together with “Washington Post” editor Robert Costa – has not yet appeared. But the right-wing Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson is already talking about the fact that it could bring to light one of the most frightening events that has ever happened in the United States.

According to the book, US Chief of Staff Mark Milley secretly contacted the US’s most important military adversary, Carlson reports. “Peril”, in English “danger”, will be published on September 21 and tells of several occasions on which Milley – the highest-ranking military representative – acted past the president. Apparently because he thought Donald Trump was unpredictable and ultimately dangerous.

Shock over storm on Capitol

Milley was shocked by the storm on the Capitol and Trump’s role in it, reports CNN reporter Jamie Gangel, who knows a preprint of the book. He considered the outgoing president to be unstable, unpredictable, and in a state of mental decline. As a consequence, Milley had instructed the management level of the National Military Command Center, which controls the US nuclear arsenal, to consult him, the chief of staff, and not the commander-in-chief, i.e. President Trump, about all processes.

Already in October last year, Milley called his Chinese counterpart in Beijing without Trump knowing about it and assured him that the US government was stable. Milley’s actions are interpreted to mean that he was afraid that Trump could order a nuclear military strike against China towards the end of his term in office.

Milley is to be interviewed

Trump countered in his well-known way: “The greatest nonsense I have ever heard.” If the claims about Milley turn out to be true, which Trump may not yet believe, it is treason.

The suspicion that the president’s highest-ranking military advisor mistrusted him so much that he took secret protective measures: This must be clarified urgently, believes the former military officer Doug MacGregor, whom Trump once wanted to send to Berlin as ambassador. “Milley has to be asked directly about it, Parliament has to summon him,” said MacGregor. So far, Milley has remained silent, who remained in office after the change of government and who has always been said to have a certain political closeness to the Democrats.

Trump called “crazy”

The book also cites a transcript of a phone call made by Milley and the chairwoman of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, according to the reports. Pelosi said in a conversation on January 8th to Milley about Trump: “You know he’s crazy. He’s been crazy for a long time.” Milley, who was appointed by Trump in 2019, is said to have replied: “I agree with you on all points.”

The top military is said to have restricted Trump’s access to nuclear weapons

Sebastian Hesse, ARD Washington, September 15, 2021 6:08 pm



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