Can a US president decide alone on his/her own, whether he/ she can press the red button (the nuclear/atomic bomb) ?

originnone · 61-69, M

The short answer is yes....the long answer is kind of .....the president has single point authority but the order has to pass through several levels to actually be carried out.

Roundandroundwego · 61-69

Absolutely not. Three hundred million people gave him that button and looked away for entertainment.

LoneVoice

@Roundandroundwego Only a DEMOCRAT ever (figuratively) "pushed that button".

MistyCee

We covered this during the Trump years.

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LoneVoice

@MistyCee But they focused on it anyway.

MistyCee

@LoneVoice They focused on a lot of things about Trump, and we heard how he couldn't impulsively start a nuclear war by himself and that there were efforts to try and keep adults in the room with him, as well as to simplify and otherwise make complex Presidential stuff palatable in line with his deficiencies and temperament. Most of that came from Republicans, by the way, and not Democrats.

He truly was, and is, not just a Democratic or Republican concern, but a danger and potential threat to all human beings.

Pitchblue

@LoneVoice But he did play Nuclear Chicken with Kim Jong un.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

No. More than one person has to initiate use of nukes. The President must also have a cabinet member concur.

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

No. As I understand it no single person has that capability.

plungesponge · 41-45, M

Yes, though I have a feeling every superpower on the planet has invested a fortune in trying to make sure all the steps after that button is pressed by the other side is non functional

Patriot96 · 56-60, C

No, but fjb might stumble onto it

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