One Man Has the Power to End the World
And for a few more weeks, this man is Donald J. Trump.
What would I say to the Joint War Room to launch an immediate nuclear strike?
The question above was asked by John F. Kennedy to his military advisors following the Cuban missile crisis. It highlights, in no uncertain terms, the absolute power of the Office of President of the United States, and the scale of the responsibilities associated with it. On their own, without checks or veto, and in a matter of minutes, the President can order a nuclear strike and put a stop to Humanity’s journey.
One person has the power to end the world, and for a few more weeks, this person is Donald Trump.
There is a logic behind giving the President the power to unilaterally launch an immediate nuclear strike, as twisted as it is. It boils down to a concept called deterrence. In a first strike scenario, in which the US is the nuclear aggressor, a longwinded decision-making process gives the enemy time to gather intelligence and prepare for retaliation. In a second strike scenario, where the US has been hit or is about to be hit by enemy nuclear warheads, retaliation must be immediate to ensure mutual destruction.
