Now, a number of lawmakers, most notably the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, are openly worrying about a problem I have been warning about even before Trump was elected, the grave danger of nuclear weapons under the control of an unhinged president. In my last post, This may be Fox News' most dangerous lie yet, I showed that Trump still retains the ability to unleash nuclear weapons by unilateral orders, in spite of vague assurances from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley. Milley tried to assure us that military officers further down the chain of command would refuse any such order.
Since then, the military brass, in response to reports of the Pelosi-Milley conversation, have re-affirmed that Trump is still commander in chief, retains full authority to launch a nuclear first strike anywhere, and at anytime. The only legal ways to take this power away from him are impeachment or removal via the 25th Amendment, and any refusal of a nuclear launch order from the president would amount to a munity or military coup.
It's clear that Veep Mike Pence will never countance a 25th Amendment removal, and Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell will not allow a Senate trial, even if the House impeaches him. So many say, what's the point in moving forward with an impeachment on Monday.
Be that as it may, Pelosi is right to say the House must do its job, even if the Senate won't. But there may be an even stronger reason: If it should come down to some in the military deciding whether on not to refuse an order from the commander in chief, wouldn't it be far more likely that they would mutiny, and refuse such an order, if they know Donald Trump is awaiting trial because he has just been impeached for a second time?
More, later
Clay Claiborne
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