Ex-defence secretary joins forum on nuclear weapons use

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A former defence secretary and two sitting members of Congress are discussing the president’s power to use nuclear weapons at a conference at Harvard University.

Former President Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Defence William Perry will join U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, both Massachusetts Democrats, for the one-day event Saturday at the Cambridge, Massachusetts university.

The forum is titled “Presidential First Use of Nuclear Weapons: Is it Legal? Is it constitutional? Is it Just?” and also features constitutional scholar Bruce Ackerman and other experts.

It comes as President Donald Trump travels to Asia in the midst of continued tensions with North Korea and threats of nuclear strikes between the leaders of the two nations.

Markey and McGovern have proposed legislation limiting the president’s use of nuclear weapons.