Recently someone asked if the president has access to nuclear codes. From PBS 2017 Professor at Duke University: Well, the president has to give a lawful order, and that order has to be authentic and be seen as authentic, because it's validated by a code that he has carried with him or near his person at all times. And that order has to pass through the chain of command, down to the subordinate elements where the nuclear weapons and the nuclear-tipped missile, the nuclear capable bombers, the submarines are. And that command would receive that authentic order and then launch accordingly. Yes.