As revealed by reports detailing an incident involving the Presidential Emergency Satchel, commonly known as the “nuclear football,” this leather briefcase, carried by rotating military aides, holds secret atomic war plans, codes, and highly classified documents. There’s also a backup “football” carried by a military aide shadowing the vice president, in case the president is unable to communicate nuclear launch orders to the Pentagon.
On January 6, 2021, the rioters who stormed the Capitol came within 100 feet of Vice President Mike Pence and the backup football. This proximity alarmed some lawmakers, prompting them to request a review of nuclear football security procedures from the Defense Department’s inspector general. The resulting report, classified as top secret, was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, although it was heavily redacted. Nonetheless, it provided some crucial insights.
According to the IG’s October 2022 report, if the nuclear football is “lost, stolen, or compromised,” the Department of Defense has procedures in place to ensure only the U.S. president can authorize the use of nuclear weapons. While the potential for unauthorized access to the nuclear arsenal is terrifying, it’s somewhat reassuring to know that intercepting the football wouldn’t easily enable a rogue entity to launch a nuclear attack.
The 38-page report remains classified at the top secret level, with extensive redactions making it difficult to gather additional details. However, some noteworthy information was revealed.
On March 16, 2021, Democratic Representatives Stephen Lynch and Jim Cooper, chairmen of the House Oversight and Reform and Armed Services subcommittees, sent a letter to DOD Acting Inspector General Sean O’Donnell. They highlighted footage from the Senate’s impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump in February 2021, showing Pence being whisked away as a violent mob came dangerously close to him and the military aide carrying the backup football.
Their letter also referenced a 2017 incident in China involving a confrontation over the nuclear football with former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Lynch and Cooper expressed grave national security concerns over these episodes and called for a review to determine whether any security protocols were violated and how the DOD is prepared to respond if an unauthorized user gains access to a nuclear football.
