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As the nuclear football is required to be near the president at all times, the aides carrying it frequently appear in press photographs.<ref name="latimes"/> In February 2017, a guest at President Trump's [[Mar-a-Lago]] resort posed for a photo with the military aide carrying the football, posting the image to [[Facebook]] and identifying the aide by his first name.<ref name="Mar-a-Lago Incident">{{Cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319211-mar-a-lago-guest-posts-pics-with-nuclear-football-carrier/ |title=Mar-a-Lago guest takes picture with nuclear 'football' briefcase |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |last=Shelbourne |first=Mallory |date=February 13, 2017 |access-date=February 13, 2017 |archive-date=February 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222054628/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319211-mar-a-lago-guest-posts-pics-with-nuclear-football-carrier |url-status=live }}</ref> The photo was posted while Trump was hosting [[Prime Minister of Japan|Japanese Prime Minister]] [[Shinzo Abe]], around the same time as news broke that [[North Korea]] had fired a nuclear-capable [[Pukguksong-2]] ballistic missile over the [[Sea of Japan]].<ref name="Feb2017">{{cite web|date=February 12, 2017|title=North Korea conducts ballistic missile test|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38947451|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170212121817/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38947451|archive-date=February 12, 2017|access-date=February 13, 2017|website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mar-a-Lago Member Posts Photo with 'Nuclear Football' Aide|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2017/02/13/mar-a-lago-member-posts-photo-with-nuclear-football-aide/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Roll Call|date=February 13, 2017 |language=en|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613013620/https://www.rollcall.com/2017/02/13/mar-a-lago-member-posts-photo-with-nuclear-football-aide/|url-status=live}}</ref> U.S. military officials clarified that it was neither illegal nor against proper procedure for the officer to appear in such a photo, although they conceded that the situation was strange.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news|last1=Hennigan|first1=W.J.|title=Social media is freaking out about a photo of the man who holds the nuclear football. The Pentagon is not|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-nuclear-football-1487013348-htmlstory.html|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 13, 2017|archive-date=February 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209024213/http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-nuclear-football-1487013348-htmlstory.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
As the nuclear football is required to be near the president at all times, the aides carrying it frequently appear in press photographs.<ref name="latimes"/> In February 2017, a guest at President Trump's [[Mar-a-Lago]] resort posed for a photo with the military aide carrying the football, posting the image to [[Facebook]] and identifying the aide by his first name.<ref name="Mar-a-Lago Incident">{{Cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319211-mar-a-lago-guest-posts-pics-with-nuclear-football-carrier/ |title=Mar-a-Lago guest takes picture with nuclear 'football' briefcase |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |last=Shelbourne |first=Mallory |date=February 13, 2017 |access-date=February 13, 2017 |archive-date=February 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222054628/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319211-mar-a-lago-guest-posts-pics-with-nuclear-football-carrier |url-status=live }}</ref> The photo was posted while Trump was hosting [[Prime Minister of Japan|Japanese Prime Minister]] [[Shinzo Abe]], around the same time as news broke that [[North Korea]] had fired a nuclear-capable [[Pukguksong-2]] ballistic missile over the [[Sea of Japan]].<ref name="Feb2017">{{cite web|date=February 12, 2017|title=North Korea conducts ballistic missile test|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38947451|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170212121817/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38947451|archive-date=February 12, 2017|access-date=February 13, 2017|website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mar-a-Lago Member Posts Photo with 'Nuclear Football' Aide|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2017/02/13/mar-a-lago-member-posts-photo-with-nuclear-football-aide/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Roll Call|date=February 13, 2017 |language=en|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613013620/https://www.rollcall.com/2017/02/13/mar-a-lago-member-posts-photo-with-nuclear-football-aide/|url-status=live}}</ref> U.S. military officials clarified that it was neither illegal nor against proper procedure for the officer to appear in such a photo, although they conceded that the situation was strange.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news|last1=Hennigan|first1=W.J.|title=Social media is freaking out about a photo of the man who holds the nuclear football. The Pentagon is not|url=http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-nuclear-football-1487013348-htmlstory.html|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 13, 2017|archive-date=February 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209024213/http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-nuclear-football-1487013348-htmlstory.html|url-status=live}}</ref>


On November 8, 2017, when President Trump made a [[state visit]] to [[China]], U.S. military aides carrying the football were reportedly involved in a "short scuffle" with Chinese security officials, after the latter tried to bar the former access to the [[Great Hall of the People]] auditorium.<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news|title=Chinese and US officials scuffled over 'nuclear football' during 2017 President Trump visit|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/19/china-and-us-in-skirmish-over-nuclear-football-during-trump-visit-to-beijing-report|access-date=2020-11-10|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=2018-02-19|archive-date=February 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227012148/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/19/china-and-us-in-skirmish-over-nuclear-football-during-trump-visit-to-beijing-report|url-status=live}}</ref> Political correspondent [[Jonathan Swan]], who reported the incident, wrote, "I'm told that at no point did the Chinese have the nuclear football in their possession or even touch the briefcase. I'm also told the head of the Chinese security detail apologised to the Americans afterwards for the misunderstanding."<ref name="theguardian" />
On November 8, 2017, when President Trump made a [[state visit]] to China, U.S. military aides carrying the football were reportedly involved in a "short scuffle" with Chinese security officials, after the latter tried to bar the former access to the [[Great Hall of the People]] auditorium.<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news|title=Chinese and US officials scuffled over 'nuclear football' during 2017 President Trump visit|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/19/china-and-us-in-skirmish-over-nuclear-football-during-trump-visit-to-beijing-report|access-date=2020-11-10|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=2018-02-19|archive-date=February 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227012148/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/19/china-and-us-in-skirmish-over-nuclear-football-during-trump-visit-to-beijing-report|url-status=live}}</ref> Political correspondent [[Jonathan Swan]], who reported the incident, wrote, "I'm told that at no point did the Chinese have the nuclear football in their possession or even touch the briefcase. I'm also told the head of the Chinese security detail apologised to the Americans afterwards for the misunderstanding."<ref name="theguardian" />


On January 6, 2021, during the [[2021 storming of the United States Capitol|storming of the United States Capitol]] by rioters, security footage, displayed during the subsequent [[Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump|Trump impeachment trial]], showed Vice President [[Mike Pence]] along with the aide carrying the backup football being hastily evacuated from the [[United States Senate chamber|Senate chamber]]. While the vice president was sheltering with his team and family, the football came within {{convert|100|ft|m}} of the approaching rioters. Its capture during the event could have resulted in the loss of sensitive intelligence surrounding pre-planned nuclear strike options. It was later reported that military officials were unaware of the danger to the football during the riot.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Barbara Starr and Caroline Kelly|title=Military officials were unaware of potential danger to Pence's 'nuclear football' during Capitol riot|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/11/politics/military-officials-were-unaware-pence-nuclear-football-riot/index.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=CNN|date=February 11, 2021 }}</ref>
On January 6, 2021, during the [[2021 storming of the United States Capitol|storming of the United States Capitol]] by rioters, security footage, displayed during the subsequent [[Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump|Trump impeachment trial]], showed Vice President [[Mike Pence]] along with the aide carrying the backup football being hastily evacuated from the [[United States Senate chamber|Senate chamber]]. While the vice president was sheltering with his team and family, the football came within {{convert|100|ft|m}} of the approaching rioters. Its capture during the event could have resulted in the loss of sensitive intelligence surrounding pre-planned nuclear strike options. It was later reported that military officials were unaware of the danger to the football during the riot.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Barbara Starr and Caroline Kelly|title=Military officials were unaware of potential danger to Pence's 'nuclear football' during Capitol riot|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/11/politics/military-officials-were-unaware-pence-nuclear-football-riot/index.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=CNN|date=February 11, 2021 }}</ref>
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