After a general objective and ROE are set, then it's usually just a JAG officer telling you if it's legal or not and that's all over military satellites or in the actual room somewhere in Florida.
I assume there are scenarios where the chain is skipped? I could be wrong, but don't the people sitting at nukes just launch if they see certain things? If they have autonomy, I assume everyone with a missile launch button has some to some degree.
Nuclear release authority is pre-delegated to varying degrees, but not down to the launch control centers. They do not possess the required information to launch their missiles. Precise delegation details are classified.
For combatants down in Venezuela's waters, the only time they're going to have permission to blow a boat out of the water without checking with higher authority is if that boat is actively firing on American servicemen or presenting a similar imminent threat to human life. Otherwise the strikes flow through an approval matrix. All of this is subject to change as situations develop, and command centers have military attorneys present in the room with them to counsel local leadership.
This makes sense. I appreciate the thorough response. I do wonder if there are any "real" consequences here. It would be hard to take the US President to court, but boy that is one unhinged approach they're taking right now.
There is an entire military who has as its purpose things like stopping the US power structure from being held accountable to foreign powers. The only way Trump is going to be in front of a court is if the US loses a total war, or if the US gov’t ends up wanting him there.
And it’s very unlikely any future or current president will want any past president in front of a court, because next time it may be them.
