Chinese, US security officials scuffled over ‘nuclear football’ during Trump trip, says report
Altercation came after US military aide carrying briefcase with emergency nuclear weapon codes was barred from entering Great Hall of the People, website reports
Chinese and US security officials were involved in a scuffle when an American agent was barred from entering the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with America’s emergency nuclear weapon codes during President Donald Trump’s visit to the capital, according to a news website report.
The incident happened on November 9 during Trump’s state visit to Beijing, according to the US website Axios.
A security agent always carries a briefcase containing the codes needed to authorise a nuclear attack if the US president is away from a command centre. It is nicknamed the “nuclear football”.
The report said that when the US military aide tried to enter the Great Hall of the People with the case Chinese security officials blocked his way.
Another official told White House Chief of Staff John Kelly what had occurred and he tried to intervene, Axios said, saying its report was based on five unnamed sources familiar with what happened.
