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What’s in the deadly briefcase that never leaves a US president’s side

The 'nuclear football' is carried by one of Donald Trump's military aides. [Courtesy AFP via Getty Images]

In the United States, there are a few things that never leave the president’s side and only do so on the day he leaves office after an election loss or the end of his tenure. One of those things is the Nuclear football or just football.

The football is a metal zero Halliburton briefcase carried in a leather bag and weighed 20 kilograms in 2005. According to an article by Business Insider, the briefcase contains equipment that presidents would use to authenticate and command US nuclear forces while away from physical command and control centres. 

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