The fate of a nuclear suitcase the day Biden took office



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The process for delivering nuclear bags can be changed, even a spare bag, if Trump does not attend Biden’s inauguration.

US President Donald Trump has yet to decide whether to attend President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. The head of the White House even mentioned the possibility of holding a rally to announce the 2024 re-election plan right on the day of the inauguration on 1/20/2021.

This raises many questions about the power transfer process between the two presidents, including the delivery of the “nuclear ball,” the black leather suitcase that allows the head of the White House to launch a nuclear attack. when not present at the fixed command center.

“This is an unprecedented situation,” said Hans Kristensen, a nuclear weapons expert at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

Obama's aide carried a nuclear suitcase out of the White House in May 2016. Photo: AFP.

Obama’s aide carried a nuclear suitcase out of the White House in May 2016. Image: AFP.

During the inauguration ceremonies above, a high-ranking military aide will accompany the retired president to a transfer of power ceremony at the Parliament building in Washington. This person will carry a leather bag, the interior contains a “nuclear ball” and a digital card nicknamed “biscuit” (cookies) that contains the codes to launch a nuclear attack.

The moment the president is elected to the US Oath, the aide will quietly pass the suitcase to the military aide to the new president, before moving to the side of the new White House leader. The new “cookie” code was also activated during the ceremony.

A secret meeting will be held prior to his inauguration to instruct the new US president on how to use crypto cards and suitcases, as well as to spread his responsibilities and powers to the US nuclear arsenal.

Former US Vice President Dick Cheney said the delivery of nuclear bags often takes place on the sidelines at noon on opening day, not as part of a series of events publicly available to the public.

Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson, former President Bill Clinton’s nuclear baggage assistant, said the process would have been different had Trump not attended Biden’s inauguration, but that it would still happen quickly and with minor hiccups. “The process of transfer of responsibility must be clear. It depends on the Pentagon, not the president of the United States,” he said.

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said the agency had planned to deliver nuclear bags, but declined to give details.

Kristensen argues that the Pentagon’s plan is similar to the contingency plan when the president of the United States dies suddenly or is incapacitated, requiring the immediate transfer of command of the nuclear forces to the vice president or “Designated Survivor,” the official will become president in case all of Washington’s high-ranking leaders are attacked and killed.

Stephen Schwartz, a researcher at Nuclear Scientists News, said the United States maintains at least three nuclear suitcases for the president, vice president and designated survivors.

“If there is no nuclear suitcase available, the military could prepare one more for the inauguration. The military aide will immediately follow Biden as soon as he is sworn in, as well as command the nuclear force.” Trump will be invalidated. May President Trump be present at the ceremony and proceed with the transfer as a decades-long tradition, “said Schwartz.

Vu anh (According to the Business Insider)

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