A former CIA officer’s explosive allegation that President Donald Trump attempted to use nuclear launch codes has been debunked by Newsweek’s independent investigation, finding no credible evidence to support the dramatic claim that continues circulating on social media.
The Unsubstantiated Allegation
Former CIA officer Larry Johnson appeared on the Judging Freedom podcast on April 20, hosted by former Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano. Johnson claimed an emergency White House session turned confrontational when General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, allegedly refused to facilitate the use of nuclear codes. Johnson described the exchange as a significant blowup, citing footage of General Caine walking on White House grounds with his head down as supposed evidence. The podcast presented this video as proof of the contentious meeting.
No Evidence Found
Newsweek conducted a thorough investigation and found zero independent corroboration of the alleged exchange. While high-level meetings did occur on April 18 regarding the expiration of the Iran ceasefire, no credible news organization or government official verified that nuclear launch authority was ever invoked. The story mirrors the debunked January 6 Secret Service vehicle incident, where allegations proved completely false despite initial media attention. Both stories share the same pattern of sensational claims without supporting evidence from reliable sources.
Pattern of Failed Attacks
This latest unverified claim represents another attempt to damage Trump’s credibility through dramatic but unsubstantiated allegations. Critics have repeatedly tried similar tactics, only to see their claims collapse under scrutiny. The nuclear codes allegation particularly lacks credibility given the absence of any official confirmation, witness testimony, or documentation. The use of ambiguous video footage of a general walking with his head down as evidence demonstrates the weakness of the underlying claim.
Sources
Townhall: File This Under ‘Didn’t Happen:’ Ex-CIA Spook Alleges Trump Tried to Use the Nuclear Codes
