Biden Faces Pressure to Restrict Trump’s Nuclear Authority
Democratic Representatives Markey and Lieu urged President Biden to curtail the president’s sole authority to launch nuclear weapons, citing concerns about the potential for unilateral action by a future president. Their letter emphasizes the inherent danger of this unchecked power, particularly given Donald Trump’s past rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons. The lawmakers proposed requiring Congressional authorization for any nuclear first strike, reserving unilateral presidential response only to an existing nuclear attack. This policy change, they argued, would be a significant part of Biden’s legacy.