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Axios: Kelly, Secret Service agent scuffled with Chinese officials over nuclear 'football'
White House chief of staff John Kelly and a Secret Service agent scuffled with Chinese security officials over the U.S. nuclear "football" during a trip to China in November, Axios reported Sunday.
[...] The interaction reportedly took place during President Trump's trip to Beijing's Great Hall of the People. The aide carrying the briefcase was blocked from entering the hall, and another official quickly told Kelly, five sources told Axios.
Kelly then came over and told the officials to continue walking in, after which a Chinese security official grabbed at Kelly, and the chief of staff pushed him off, according to Axios. A Secret Service agent then tackled the Chinese security official, the publication reported.
U.S. officials were asked to not discuss the interaction, according to Axios. Chinese officials were never in possession of the bag containing the launch codes, and a top Chinese security official apologized to the Trump team afterward.
The nuclear football (also known as the atomic football, the President's emergency satchel, the Presidential Emergency Satchel, the button, the black box, or just the football) is a briefcase, the contents of which are to be used by the President of the United States to authorize a nuclear attack while away from fixed command centers, such as the White House Situation Room. It functions as a mobile hub in the strategic defense system of the United States. It is held by an aide-de-camp.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Tuesday February 20 2018, @04:30PM (3 children)
I think the real problem here was an ignorant security "official" (guard) getting grabby without knowing the gravity of the situation. There's no real upside for China to steal the briefcase. They don't want to launch a nuclear strike on the U.S. (at least imminently). There's likely no way that the Secret Service et al. would not find out about the briefcase being taken, and the codes would be changed ASAP, and possibly made more robust later. So it would strain the U.S.-China relationship with no real gains for China.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @07:31PM (1 child)
Ignorant and getting grabby? I'd like to see some evidence that the aide's photo and details was given to the security team beforehand.
Otherwise why should the guard let some random person carry a potential bomb into a hall where two world leaders would be present?
Just because the Chief of Staff tells the guy to keep walking in doesn't mean shit. Was it agreed that the Chief of Staff calls the shots for security for the hall?
Heck Trump could have fired them the day before for all they know.
Just flip the situation around and say it's in the USA and some random Chinese guy tries to carry a briefcase into a hall where the US President and other world leaders are in and some Chinese guy says "keep going" to the other Chinese guy.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @07:47PM
Highly doubt any public official at those levels including even Kim Jong un would be looking to blow themselves up like that.
Also, there is more than one football incase of the traveling one going ‘dead’. With its own set of protocols in place to determine if it is to be used as an override.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 20 2018, @09:57PM
The "nuclear football" has, among other things, The Black Book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, [wikipedia.org]...
There is a definite real upside for China's strategic interests to have access to the briefcase. If you can't see it, you aren't thinking hard enough.