U.S. Strategic Command Chief: 'Illegal' Order for Nuclear Strike May Be Rejected

The commander of U.S. Strategic Command stated on November 18 that if an order for a nuclear strike is given by Donald Trump or other U.S. presidents and it is deemed 'illegal', it may be rejected. General John Hyten, speaking at a meeting in Canada, indicated that he would inform Trump or any president issuing such an order that it could face refusal from his command and may not be executed. Hyten said, 'We think a lot about these issues. When such a duty is entrusted to you, how could you not think about it?' He added, 'I present my recommendations to the president; he will tell me what to do.' The U.S. Strategic Command chief stated, 'If [an order] is illegal, guess what will happen? I go and say: Mr. President, this [order] is illegal. And guess what he will say? He will say: What is legal? And at that point, we provide options and a set of solutions to respond to the event. It's that simple. It's not that complicated.' The U.S. Strategic Command is responsible for controlling the country's nuclear weapons during wartime and also oversees cyber and missile defense. Given the recent tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Hyten's remarks have garnered significant media attention. Since last week, U.S. senators have begun discussions about the limits of presidential authority to use nuclear weapons. Senators and experts believe that during an imminent or ongoing nuclear attack, the president is legally authorized to make necessary decisions to defend the nation and country. However, some senators have expressed concern that a president, who may be influenced by strong emotions and may not necessarily act with foresight, could unilaterally initiate a nuclear strike. During a congressional meeting, General Robert Kehler, who commanded the Strategic Command from 2011 to 2013, stated, 'The military is obligated to execute lawful orders, but is not obligated to execute unlawful orders.'