Annie Jacobsen

And then back so that the individual in the bunker realizes they are getting the command from the president. And then that order is passed to STRATCOM. And STRATCOM, the commander of STRATCOM, and I interviewed a former commander of STRATCOM, commander of STRATCOM then follows orders, which is he delivers the launch orders to the nuclear triad. And what's done is done.

Okay, so good question. I asked that exact question to one of my very helpful sources on the book, Dr. Glenn McDuff, who is at Los Alamos and who for a while was the classified – they have a museum that's classified within the lab. And he was the historian in charge of it, right? So he's a nuclear weapons engineer. He worked on Star Wars during the Reagan era.

Okay, so good question. I asked that exact question to one of my very helpful sources on the book, Dr. Glenn McDuff, who is at Los Alamos and who for a while was the classified – they have a museum that's classified within the lab. And he was the historian in charge of it, right? So he's a nuclear weapons engineer. He worked on Star Wars during the Reagan era.

Okay, so good question. I asked that exact question to one of my very helpful sources on the book, Dr. Glenn McDuff, who is at Los Alamos and who for a while was the classified – they have a museum that's classified within the lab. And he was the historian in charge of it, right? So he's a nuclear weapons engineer. He worked on Star Wars during the Reagan era.

And he does a lot having to do with the history of Los Alamos. And the, by the way, the Oppenheimer movie really, because I've reported on nuclear weapons for, you know, 12 years now. And Oppenheimer movie had a very, to me, positive impact on Los Alamos' transparency with people like me. They had a real willingness to share information.

And he does a lot having to do with the history of Los Alamos. And the, by the way, the Oppenheimer movie really, because I've reported on nuclear weapons for, you know, 12 years now. And Oppenheimer movie had a very, to me, positive impact on Los Alamos' transparency with people like me. They had a real willingness to share information.

And he does a lot having to do with the history of Los Alamos. And the, by the way, the Oppenheimer movie really, because I've reported on nuclear weapons for, you know, 12 years now. And Oppenheimer movie had a very, to me, positive impact on Los Alamos' transparency with people like me. They had a real willingness to share information.

I think before, perhaps they were on their heels feeling like, They needed to be on the defensive. But now they're much more forthcoming. They were super helpful. I can tell you the origin story of the football, which they declassified for the book. But I asked this question to Dr. Glenn McDuff, right?

I think before, perhaps they were on their heels feeling like, They needed to be on the defensive. But now they're much more forthcoming. They were super helpful. I can tell you the origin story of the football, which they declassified for the book. But I asked this question to Dr. Glenn McDuff, right?

I think before, perhaps they were on their heels feeling like, They needed to be on the defensive. But now they're much more forthcoming. They were super helpful. I can tell you the origin story of the football, which they declassified for the book. But I asked this question to Dr. Glenn McDuff, right?

Like, in a different manner, I said, is there a chance that the STRATCOM commander would defy orders? And he said, Annie, you have a better chance winning Powerball.

Like, in a different manner, I said, is there a chance that the STRATCOM commander would defy orders? And he said, Annie, you have a better chance winning Powerball.

Like, in a different manner, I said, is there a chance that the STRATCOM commander would defy orders? And he said, Annie, you have a better chance winning Powerball.

You don't wind up a STRATCOM commander unless you are someone who follows orders. You follow orders.

You don't wind up a STRATCOM commander unless you are someone who follows orders. You follow orders.

You don't wind up a STRATCOM commander unless you are someone who follows orders. You follow orders.

Well, this is... All right, so you're raising a really tricky, interesting conundrum here. Because during COVID, when President Trump and... the leader of North Korea were kind of locked in various relationships with one another, good, bad, threatening, non-threatening, friendly, just bananas, you might say, like not presidential behavior.

Well, this is... All right, so you're raising a really tricky, interesting conundrum here. Because during COVID, when President Trump and... the leader of North Korea were kind of locked in various relationships with one another, good, bad, threatening, non-threatening, friendly, just bananas, you might say, like not presidential behavior.

Well, this is... All right, so you're raising a really tricky, interesting conundrum here. Because during COVID, when President Trump and... the leader of North Korea were kind of locked in various relationships with one another, good, bad, threatening, non-threatening, friendly, just bananas, you might say, like not presidential behavior.

If you were someone watching C-SPAN like I do, nerding out on what STRATCOM was actually saying about all this, you noticed that STRATCOM commanders were speaking out publicly about to Congress more so than I had ever seen before. And this issue came up. Would you defy presidential order?