The US President Donald Trump is currently at the Walter Reed Hospital receiving treatment after he and the First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus or COVID-19. According to reports, the president still has the power of launching the nuclear arsenal as his briefcase containing the launch codes is with him.
The 74-year-old man announced that he and his wife tested positive for the virus on Friday. He got transferred to the military hospital after he was showing symptoms of the deadly disease. Photographers on Friday shot the moment when the 'nuclear football' having the launch codes for the nuclear arsenal got loaded on the Marine One helicopter.
Trump Has Nuclear Weapon Launch Codes With Him at Hospital
The briefcase, which contains the launch codes is always kept close to any serving president of America, the president is required to give authorization for the use of mass destruction weapons. A president needs to consult a list of the options found inside the black book and his identity is certified by a plastic card nicknamed The Biscuit.
Despite being down with the deadly disease, the president will still be the person who will be consulted in case of any emergency to launch the US's 1,365 nuclear weapons. A press conference by Dr. Sean Conley revealed that Trump is continuing to work at the hospital and the doctor also stated that he was responding well to the treatment.
The briefcase containing the codes is nicknamed 'football' after an attack plan code-named 'dropkick' in the early use of the codes during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A member of the military personnel is all the time close by the president for receiving orders. Military personnel is also authorized to shoot if anyone tries to steal the bag.
With the elections a few weeks away, it will be interesting to see how the president fights for his election campaign. In recent times, the way Trump's administration tackled the coronavirus pandemic, drew criticism from the people of America. As per the latest updates, the US is at the top of the number of cases list in the world.
