Former Larry Johnson, a one time analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, claimed that US President Donald Trump attempted to use nuclear launch codes against Iran during a tense White House meeting held last Saturday night to address the escalating Iranian crisis.
A spokesperson for the White House dismissed the claim in comments to Newsweek, labelling it false and criticising its circulation.
Johnson made the remarks during an appearance on 20 April on Judging Freedom, a YouTube talk show hosted by former Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano. He alleged that an emergency White House session escalated into a heated confrontation when General Dan Caine refused to facilitate the use of nuclear launch codes by the president.
According to Johnson, the discussion quickly deteriorated into what he described as a sharp and direct clash.
Responding to the claims, Senator Thom Tillis told Newsweek, “I don’t believe it. I can’t imagine that happening.”
Under US law, the president holds the authority to order the use of nuclear weapons without requiring approval from Congress. However, the process requires verification from the Secretary of Defense confirming the authenticity of the nuclear codes and that the order has been formally issued by the president.
