On Thursday, CNN reported that pro-Trump Capitol invaders hunting for former Vice President Mike Pence nearly ran into the vice presidential aide in charge of the backup "nuclear football," the briefcase containing classified equipment to launch an atomic weapon — and military officials didn't even know this happened until they saw footage aired at the impeachment trial.
"US Strategic Command became aware of the gravity of the incident after seeing a video played at the Senate impeachment trial Wednesday showing Pence, his Secret Service agents and a military officer carrying the briefcase with classified nuclear launch information running down a flight of stairs inside the Capitol to get to safety, the official said," reported Barbara Starr and Caroline Kelly. "It is not clear if other national security elements of the government such as the National Security Council or top officials at the Pentagon were aware of the gravity of Pence's position and those of his team."
According to the report, even if the rioters had actually caught the aide and seized the nuclear football, the security systems in the device would have prevented them from actually triggering a launch. As it was, the aide was able to escape safely.
The rioters were targeting Pence specifically, incorrectly believing that he had the power to prevent electoral votes for President Joe Biden from being counted, and spurred on by a tweet from Trump attacking him for not doing so. Many of the rioters can be seen chanting "Hang Mike Pence," in footage of the incident, and some of them constructed a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol.
