# US President has misplaced nuclear codes - contigency plans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290 "2016-11-17T21:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/21 "2016-11-20T15:03:00Z")
It’s a real nuisance if he loses the codes - he has to solve one of those captchas with the curly script, and respond to a text on his phone. ---
**Author:** ![TonyRV2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TonyRV2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyRV2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/22 "2016-11-20T15:56:18Z")
“Believe me, I know codes. When it comes to codes, nobody is better than I am. In fact, if you look back over the last 8 years, the codes have been horrible, just horrible. But I have a plan. And my plan for the codes is going to be the best plan ever. No one knows what to do with a coed better than me. I embrace the responsibility of dealing with coeds, both in a high level as well as low level. Believe me, you can trust me with all of the coeds that this country has to offer. Because I’m the best man for the job.” …Anonymous ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/23 "2016-11-20T16:46:07Z")
User Name: The Donald Nuclear Launch Codes: Forgot your launch codes or user name? Click here. . . . ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/24 "2016-11-20T19:32:06Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Can someone explain to me why the president needs codes to launch a nuclear attack? If the president of the United States wants to launch a nuclear attack, to whom does he need to verify his identity? It seems as pointless as asking for the president’s ID when he uses his credit card to pay for his burger at Five Guys. Well to the missiles for one thing. They won’t fire without the right code. This was supposedly implemented by JFK although apparently the military for a long time kept the code for the missiles as 8 zeros. They quickly changed that practice after someone published an article about the practice. Also the president needs the sec def to agree in order to launch so he can’t just do it willey nilley. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/25 "2016-11-20T21:13:28Z")
Just as an aside, some alternate lyrics to _“Let’s Dance”_: \*Hey Baby, won’t you take a chance Left my rubbers in my other pants\* ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/26 "2016-11-20T22:28:02Z")
> [@Unpronounceable](#): > > considering that, for decades, the codes were something like: > > 0000-0000-0000-0000 > > we should probably be grateful they bother to actually have real codes nowadays. Wow, a 1 in 10 quadrillion chance, and they picked all 0s. Amazing! ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/27 "2016-11-21T02:59:11Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Also the president needs the sec def to agree in order to launch so he can’t just do it willey nilley. I’m pretty sure this isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290/28 "2016-11-21T03:15:23Z")
I think it’s a case of the President couldn’t get the order to launch through the chain of command if the top people dragged their feet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-president-has-misplaced-nuclear-codes-contigency-plans/772290.md?page=1)