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By Kate Plummer and Leonardo Feldman
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A viral claim alleging that President Donald Trump attempted to "use nuclear codes" during a Saturday night meeting on the Iran crisis is circulating across platforms, despite a lack of evidence. A White House spokesperson told Newsweek the claim was false and criticized its circulation. Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
The claim originates from comments made by former CIA officer Larry Johnson during an April 20 appearance on Judging Freedom, a podcast and YouTube talk show hosted by former Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano. Johnson alleged that an "emergency meeting" at the White House turned confrontational when General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reportedly stood his ground against a presidential directive.
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What Larry Johnson Said
According to Johnson, the exchange was "apparently quite a blowup," resulting in Caine allegedly refusing to facilitate the use of "the so-called, nuclear codes." The episode featured footage of Caine walking on White House grounds with his head down, that Johnson suggested supported his account.
Newsweek has found no independent corroboration of this exchange. While high-level meetings were reported by multiple news outlets as taking place on April 18 to discuss the expiration of the Iran ceasefire, no credible news organization or government official has verified that nuclear launch authority was ever invoked.
Some Republicans also expressed skepticism about the allegation.
"I’d have to see a couple of source confirmations before I even dignify that question with an answer," North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis told Newsweek. "I just don’t. I can’t imagine. You know the president, I just can’t imagine that that was ever a serious consideration.”
In response to questions from Newsweek, Johnson said he does not disclose sources.
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The Protocol Reality: Can a General Say ‘No’?
The central drama of the claim—that a general simply "said no" to the codes—clashes with the reality of U.S. Nuclear Command and Control (NC2).
Under established 2026 protocols, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is an advisor, not a commander. They have no operational authority to transmit, cancel, or block a launch order and the role is purely advisory. While a launch order requires the "Two-Person Rule," that maintains that no single individual can initiate, authenticate, or execute a critical action alone, the system is designed to ensure that a legal order from the commander-in-chief is executed.
A "blowup" over codes would represent a constitutional crisis far beyond a simple disagreement.
Assessing Johnson's Claim
Why Now? Iran Ceasefire Deadline
The U.S.-Iran ceasefire was set to expire on Wednesday, and Trump had signaled a "hardline" pivot if a new deal was not reached in Islamabad, before announcing late on Tuesday that the ceasefire had been extended.
Before the ceasefire was agreed on April 7 Trump issued a stark warning on Truth Social, stating, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," sparking concerns of a possible nuclear strike. The White House later said "it was not an empty threat," and that "the Pentagon had a target list that they were ready to hit go on," but made no mention of nuclear strikes.
Who Is Larry Johnson?
Johnson is a former CIA officer who later served as deputy director of the U.S. State Department’s Office of Counterterrorism from 1989 to 1993.
In recent years, his claims on intelligence matters have drawn scrutiny. Johnson was among the figures linked to a widely disputed 2017 allegation that British intelligence agency GCHQ helped the Obama administration spy on Trump’s presidential campaign—a claim that was publicly rejected by U.S. and U.K. officials and described in a rare public statement by GCHQ as “utterly ridiculous.”
Johnson previously spread false rumors that former first lady Michelle Obama made a racist speech against white people. He has also appeared on Russian state media, where his commentary has been amplified in pro-Kremlin narratives.
Update, 04/21/2026, 12:28 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the White House and North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
Update, 04/22/2026, 8:11 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Larry Johnson.
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