Was Donald Trump 'blocked' from using the nuclear codes against Iran?

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson alleged on a podcast this week that US President Donald Trump wanted to use the nuclear codes against Iran during an emergency White House meeting, but that he was stopped by General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Johnson described the interaction as "quite the blow up." It comes as concern mounts over the US president's unpredictable behaviour, as many lawmakers voice doubts about his mental state.

On an appearance on the Judging Freedom podcast hosted by former Fox News analyst Andrew Napolitano, ex-CIA officer Larry Johnson claimed an emergency briefing evolved into a confrontation, after General Dan Caine stood his ground after Donald Trump sought to invoke the nuclear codes. He said Caine "stood up and said 'No.' He invoked his privilege as the head of the military."

CNN reported that Caine, Pete Hegesth and other top officials arrived at the White House on April 18, and footage of Caine "storming out" of the building was shown on the podcast by Johnson. But the idea of Caine "blocking" Trump goes against the reality of the command chain, as technically nobody can overrule the president's command.

However, what has been reported is conflicting ideas between Caine and Trump. Though the US president said online in February that Caine believed military action against Iran could be "easily won", that's not what Caine advised at the time, according to The Washington Post.

The Wall Street Journal also reports that Trump was "intentionally excluded from the Situation Room" during Washington's recent operation to rescue US airmen in Iran. Sources revealed that he was in such a volatile state that he was screaming at his aides "for hours" and military officials made the choice to limit his access, "believing his impatience wouldn't be helpful".