FFS "are there any restrictions on president launching nuclear weapons?" Not good morning coffee.

[lostnfound]

Damn I miss boring presidential news. The fact that we are suddenly in a world where a fairly serious journalist can ask a serious senator a serious question like that one, and the senator's reply is along the lines of "yes well that's the problem and that's why I've introduced legislation, because right now a nuke could be launched unprovoked, even when there's been no nuke launched at us."

If this dystopian presidency enters into annihilation by nukes of any group of human beings on this planet, we all ought to turn to the nearest f'ing trump supporter and say, "Way to f'ing go."

Yes, I would blame them.

Bad enough he's tearing down environmental protections, civil rights, and the protections available to nursing home residents, disabled kids, water-drinkers, and more, all while colluding with a totalitarian enemy, but now he is on the verge of stumbling into nuclear war like a toddler in a minefield?

God damn trump voters.

But even more than them, are the god damn Mercers. "America, we have a billionaire problem." The Mercers after foisting Steve Bannon on us all, are now out trying to quash dissent among republicans by funding primary opponents for those GOP members who give even the mildest criticism of Trump. If life were fair, those people ought to be caught up in RICO statutes too, and sent to PRISON, because they are just as culpable as Trump and Manafort and Flynn and more. Damn Mercers and Steve Wynns and every other billionaire that backed these imbeciles.

America, we have a billionaire problem. And a sheep problem. Stop being so easy to brainwash through their spoonfed echo chambers and insular simplistic fantasy world. If you're going to be a better citizen, RTFM.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Here's the thing

A substantial amount of Trump supporters are evangelicals, pentacostalists, and dominionists. They don't read the Four Gospels. They focus on Revelations, End Times. They *welcome* the end of the world.

If Trump ignited a nightmare scenario of nuclear war, even though they'd die because of it, they're getting Heaven Deluxe. Meeting Jesus and having him greet them on a first-name basis. They don't see annihilation as a bad thing at all. We're going to get ours and they're going to get theirs. (It's their version of Islamic fundamentalist Paradise where getting killed is a good thing, better than life on Earth in mortal degradation.)

Trump is part of Scriptural Relevation. He's where he should be, doing what he should do.

THAT'S the problem.

[Cosmocat]

4. We have people here who think Pence would intercede

outside of the basic lack of understanding of the process (which is some of the responses following lay out properly), there are people here who actually think Pence would intercede ...

Dude pleasures himself to the fantasy of nuclear holocaust.

[gordianot]

2. No there are no restrictions provide the plan, give the order, then verify and execute.

Once the plan is made it takes at most five minutes. Trump will need to be moved to a safe location that may take some time.

On edit rumor had it Alexander Haig was placed in the White House armed to shoot Nixon if he chose to start a nuclear war. Maybe the Generals surrounding Trump have a similar function.

[CincyDem]

3. In a nutshell..."no".

There have been several articles lately (sorry no citations) that have highlighted the launch redundancy that exists at every level of the process...except one. The redundancy is designed to have two people confirm that the order is valid. The only level with single point accountability is the President who acts without a check step.

Obviously, the system was designed with the believe all the presidential "check step" stuff would happen in advance among "sane" leaders (if you think even considering a step that could kill millions to be sane at any level). But once that metaphorical little red button gets pushed - it's a valid order and dominos start falling.

Who would have imagined a year ago that we would be in a position of hoping for the equivalent of a military coup in the United States for protection from a lunatic with his finger on the button. Cuz if he pushes the button, we'll need a committed group of military to say "that ain't gonna happen"...and that's a real coup.

But seriously, it's really all ok cuz, ya know - we don't have to worry about a private server in the Oval.