General Dan Caine’s alleged response to Donald Trump’s demand for the nuclear code is in the news. A retired CIA analyst named Larry Johnson made these claims. He said the general gave the president a direct answer when Trump tried to access the codes.
He said on the Judge Napolitano podcast, “One report coming out of the White House is that Trump wanted to use the nuclear codes, and General Dan Caine stood up and said ‘no’. He invoked his privileges as the head of the military, so to speak. It was apparently quite a blow-up.”
He further added, “Donald Trump is… There is something seriously wrong with him. In terms of his tweeting on social media, particularly on Truth Social. The crazy public statements, you know, go back and look at what he said on Friday. (It is) manipulating the stock market.”
According to retired CIA analyst Larry Johnson: During an emergency meeting On Saturday Trump tried to “use the nuclear codes” on Iran and he was stopped by General Dan Caine.
According to Johnson “there is seriously something wrong with Trump”: pic.twitter.com/9x5LONnnsm
— Jimmy Dore (@jimmy_dore) April 20, 2026
Johnson continued, “You can’t trust anything that is coming out of Donald Trump’s mouth.” He pointed to Trump’s Truth Social posts, which include threats to end civilizations or claiming the U.S. won the war multiple times. The 79-year-old president often launches Truth Social rants at midnight.
General’s flat no on nuclear code claims still haven’t been confirmed yet. The process surrounding nuclear launch authority remains complex.. For a nuclear strike to happen, Trump will need approval from the highest official at the Pentagon.
Even after that, the vice president can declare him unfit to make decisions. But that requires everyone to be on board. Apart from this, U.S. military personnel and generals may use the Uniform Code of Military Justice. They can refuse orders they deem illegal.
It was reported that Trump was sidelined by the military during a rescue mission in Iran. Trump was said to be been furiously yelling over Iran forces downing a U.S. aircraft. As a result, he was kept out of the situation room. The goal was to avoid his impulsive and angry outbursts.
CONFIRMED: The US joint Chiefs of staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine stormed out of an emergency meeting with Trump. Insiders indicate that Trump wanted to invoke the nuclear codes as a deterrence against Iran but Caine refused and invoked the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice. https://t.co/J8zaXhkUZq
— EnjoyingLife (@Determinater35) April 19, 2026
The war between the U.S. and Iran has been going on since Feb. 28. So far, only a temporary ceasefire has been reached. Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire which was set to end on April 22. The negotiations seem difficult while the Strait of Hormuz is still shut.
Amid hopes for negotiations, Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker posted his views on X. He wrote, “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” adding that the Islamic Republic has been preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”
