Relations between Washington and Beijing have taken another bizarre twist. On Monday, it was revealed that a “skirmish” broke out over the aptly-named “nuclear football” briefcase, which contains the United States’ launch codes, during President Donald Trump’s trip to China last year to meet President Xi Jinping.
The incident occurred on Nov. 9 when Trump was visiting Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, according to Axios, with the US news website quoting five sources.
In a surreal moment, John Kelly, the US Chief of Staff, and a Secret Service agent were involved in a tussle with Chinese security officials after the military aide carrying the “football” was blocked from entering the Great Hall.
Kelly, in an adjoining room, was told what was happening and the former US Marine Corps general rushed over and informed Trump’s entourage to keep on walking.
A Chinese security official then grabbed Kelly before a US Secret Service agent moved in. The Chinese security official was then tackled to the ground.
“The whole scuffle was over in a flash, and the US officials told about the incident were asked to keep quiet about it,” Axios, which was set up in 2016 by the Politico co-founder Jim VandeHei and the former White House correspondent Mike Allen, reported.
At no point did the Chinese commandeer the nuclear “football” or even touch the briefcase, the website added.
The process for launching a nuclear strike is complex. But the briefcase is always with the US president and is carried by a rotating group of military officers. If a nuclear strike was ordered, Trump would identify himself to officials at the Pentagon with a unique set of codes.
“Trump’s team followed the normal security procedure to brief the Chinese before their visit to Beijing, according to a person familiar with the trip,” Axios stated. “But somebody at the Chinese end either didn’t get the memo or decided to mess with the Americans anyway.”
These latest revelations surfaced in the wake of deteriorating trade relations between the US and China.
Last week, the US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, issued the findings of an investigation into the national security impact of cheap steel and aluminum imports from the world’s second-largest economy. The reports also opened the door to what could be punitive tariffs.
“I want to keep prices down but I also want to make sure that we have a steel industry and an aluminum industry and we do need that for national defense,” Trump told a meeting with US politicians.
“If we ever have a conflict, we don’t want to be buying steel [from] a country we are fighting,” he added in what appeared to be a reference about China.
The move triggered anger in Beijing. “If the United States’ final decision affects China’s interests, we will take necessary measures to defend our rights,” Wang Hejun, a director at the country’s Commerce Ministry, said in a statement.
Earlier this year, US regulators blocked Ant Financial, which is part of the powerful Alibaba group, from acquiring money transfer company MoneyGram for US$1.2 billion. National security concerns, revolving around the question of data protection, were the main issue.
“China has urged the US to show restraint in using trade remedy tools and stop taking unilateral trade restriction measures,” Wang told the Global Times, a state-owned newspaper.
Now, it will be interesting to see if this latest spat sparks another broadside from Beijing.
Budhe ho gaye Chacha ! Rehne bhi do!
Your questions are valid but you don’t understand one fact that all what you said is taken care of. Even if this device is likely to fall in enemy hands it will be destroyed immediately by person who is guarding it. Also there are always contingency plans. Everything is well planned and rehearsed.
I’ve been seeing your name on this media outlet commenting on various issues. Recognizing that opinions are personal, hence subjective I always respected them…, until now.
This is a most immature post I’ve ever seen/read. It’s just a worthless piece of "contribution" with no value whatsoever, and whose sole intent is sheer diatribe and nothing else.
This is disgraceful!
The biggest danger is that with deteriorating American technology, the codes will simply not work. Then what?
What a silly idea to bring such secrurity stuff along on a state visit, what if it is lost in the hotel, do they blame the host? what if the plane crashes into the sea, no more source code? what if the source code is taken over by terrorist elements, can they control the nuclear arsenal just bec they have the source code and claim to be the President when they are not?
Saadi Sabyasachi
It is humour!
“If we ever have a conflict, we don’t want to be buying steel [from] a country we are fighting,” he added in what appeared to be a reference about China."
The above is the American version
The following is the Chinese response:
"If we ever have a conflict, we do not want to support that nation’s currency which is then used to fight us"
Saadi Sabyasachi ;At least prostitute will be able to explain complex instruction to Trump.
Saadi Sabyasachi Saadi Sabyasachi if a prostitute does get to the source codes, then potus has all to himself to be blamed for letting his small head runs loose. But then again, that’s the whole idea behind the suggestion.
is that a good idea ?
do you want a protitute to get access to the launch codes ??
The smart thing to do would be to sew the codes into Trump’s underwear. Don’t the CIA have any good ideas?