DEFENSE/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. senators on Tuesday [11-14-17] took a rare look at the decades-old presidential authority to launch a nuclear strike, posing questions at a hearing about the process President Donald Trump would follow if he were to order such an attack…
Three former government and military officials who were questioned by the committee said the president has sole authority to decide whether to use a nuclear weapon, but that decision is guided by strict protocols and includes consultation with the Secretary of Defense and military officials.
Much of the questioning centered around what the president would have to do to launch a pre-emptive—rather than retaliatory—strike. Some senators said some such strikes would amount to a declaration of war and that the president should consult with Congress before undertaking such action.
But these and other scenarios opened the door to many legal, constitutional and practical questions…
Several senators asked what restraints, if any, exist on the president’s ability to carry out a nuclear-first strike. The former officials said that there are legal guidelines determining when the use of a nuclear weapon is appropriate, but that the decision falls to the president…
Some Republican senators expressed concerns that publicly questioning when the president can strike and under what authority could lead allies to question if the U.S. has the political will to follow through on its nuclear commitments and might lead adversaries, such as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to miscalculate amid the uncertainty…
Mr. Corker, who organized the hearing, has since stepped up his criticism of Mr. Trump’s foreign policy since announcing that he won’t seek re-election. Last month, he said Mr. Trump’s threats to other countries could spark ‘World War III.’ “
-Felicia Schwartz, “Senators Pose Questions About Trump’s Nuclear Attack Authority,” The Wall Street Journal online, Nov. 14, 2017 06:36pm