who called milley to ask, according to a transcript obtained by the authors, what precautions were available to prevent an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or from accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike milley ends up assuring her, i know the system, and we are okay the president alone can order the use of nuclear weapons. one person can order it several people have to launch it. and the book reports mike pence initially sought a way around counting the electoral college votes, calling dan quayle who had played that role in 1993, who tells pence, mike, you have no flexibility on this. none, zero forget it. tonight, former president trump told newsmax for milley t say he was going to attack china is the most ridiculous thing he s ever heard. general milley is not commenting, but people familiar tell nbc news a number of cabinet officials agreed to keep close watch on the president s