It is one of the least publicized moments, but one of the most symbolic and important of any presidential transition in the US.
For almost six decades, during the inauguration of the new Mandatory on 41 Eclipsed by fanfare and ornaments, two military men in dress uniforms await the swearing-in behind some pillars.
One of them, who has generally accompanied the outgoing president in most of his He carries a heavy black briefcase with him which, when the clock strikes noon, he will hand over to the other officer, who will be in charge of carrying it for the new commander-in-chief.
This is the call “ black box ” or “ nuclear briefcase “, a metal-reinforced suitcase that accompanies the president of EE everywhere .UU. In case you need to launch an atomic attack while away from the White House.
Since you eat began to be used during the government of John F. Kennedy, the transfer of the suitcase has been a fundamental, albeit discreet part of the inauguration ceremonies in the USA.
However, this year, the simple process of passing a suitcase from one hand to another involves an unprecedented logistical challenge: for the first time in more than a century, the outgoing president will not be at the inauguration of his successor.
Trump is the first president in more than a century and a half to bypass his successor’s inauguration ceremony.
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And as president you should have your nuclear briefcase on hand until noon. Time when your plan is to be at 1. 500 km away, in South Florida. Very far from Biden, who should have him as soon as he is president.
So how will the transfer of the nuclear codes take place if the presidents will be hundreds of kilometers apart?
An unusual solution
Faced with the concern about how the transfer of the nuclear codes will be carried out, The Pentagon recently responded that it had a plan for “Inauguration Day”, but declined to offer details.
However, various experts and academics have explained what the possible scenarios that should have been considered are faced with such an unusual situation in the history of the United States.
During an event of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Stephen Schwartz, expert on the nuclear briefcase of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists , explained that, contrary to what many think, in reality, there are at least three suitcases of this type .
One is the one that accompanies to the president, but there is another list to be given in an emergency to the vice president or the “designated survivor” (the cabinet member who is appointed to assume the government if for any reason all the leaders in the presidential line of succession die).
Schwartz considered that the Pentagon could use one of these briefcases – or prepare a new one – to hand it over to Biden and activate it the moment he takes possession.
At that time, Trump’s nuclear command and control authority expires, so his card that gives way to nuclear codes would be deactivated.
“If an aide with the briefcase accompanies Trump on Air Force One to Florida, that aide will leave Trump’s presence at noon and return to Washington with the briefcase,” Schwartz told CNN.
The actual process
And it is that while the subject The nuclear briefcase and its uses have fascinated millions of people over the years, what many do not know is that the nuclear codes and the keys that allow the president to be identified as such to give the order of an attack are not in the suitcase.
The key to activate a nuclear attack is in a small plastic card that the president in turn keeps in his pocket.
It is known as the “code of gold ”or“ biscuit. ”
The president must break it in half to verify his identity when he contacts the War Unit at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, to authorize a attack.
On the morning of the inauguration, the new pre The president and vice president receive instructions on how to use the briefcase and the future president receives the card.
According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists , the Pentagon generally causes the outgoing president’s cards to be deactivated at noon on the inauguration day, while that of the new president comes into operation.
Thus, at 12: 01 PM of 20 of January, in the hypothetical case that Trump wanted to launch a nuclear attack, he could not do so, whether or not he has the briefcase, and neither could Biden at 01: 59 AM.
Fears that Trump may launch an attack Prior to his departure from the government, they raised concerns after the insurrection in the Capitol at the beginning of the month.
Then, the leader of the House of Representatives Nacy Pelosy, contacted the head of the Department of Defense to ask them not to follow Trump’s orders should he activate the codes before leaving the White House.
The briefcase
As previously explained to the BBC by Bruce Blair, a member of the nuclear launch team Contrary to popular belief, the nuclear briefcase does not contain a button or codes to automatically launch a nuclear weapon, but rather the protocols for the attack and the equipment you need to communicate with higher-ranking advisers.
“In the briefcase there is also a graphic war plan, on a single sheet the objectives, the number of dead and the weapons at disposal are specified. So it is easy to understand the dimension of the situation in a few seconds ”, said Blair.
Inside the briefcase are not only the codes to launch an attack of mass destruction, there are also two books.
One contains a detailed explanation of the types of nuclear attack that can be carried out and another a list of “ safe places ” for the US president and his family to take refuge.
Many of the times in which the briefcase was seen, an antenna was noticed coming out of it: it is the telecommunication system to establish a direct line with the Pentagon.
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