Doctors Just Staged the Quietest Coup in American History

5 hours ago

In August 1974, Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger staged a quiet 'coup' by ordering military commanders to verify any unusual nuclear launch orders from President Nixon, who was unstable and drunk.
In January 2021, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley similarly instructed commanders to not accept launch orders without his approval, calling it 'pulling a Schlesinger' after the Capitol riot.
On April 30, 2026, 36 physicians submitted a document to Congress declaring President Donald J. Trump mentally unfit for office, citing cognitive decline, disorganized speech, and impaired judgment.
The signatories risked their careers by violating the Goldwater Rule and facing potential retaliation, invoking the Declaration of Geneva to urge urgent removal from office.
Key figures like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and others in Trump's administration show no signs of 'pulling a Schlesinger,' leaving uncertainty about constitutional safeguards.
The article compares Biden's voluntary withdrawal due to cognitive concerns with Trump's refusal to commit to leaving office, highlighting asymmetry in handling unfit presidents.

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