Chinese and US security reportedly scuffled over nuclear football during Trump’s state visit

Briefcase containing nuclear codes reportedly causes commotion in Beijing's Great Hall

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping arrive at a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People (Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images)

US and Chinese security officials reportedly tussled over the American nuclear football during a state visit that President Donald Trump later called “great” and “very productive”.

The US president's delegation encountered trouble when entering Beijing's Great Hall of the People on 9 November, according to news site Axios. When a US military aide tried to follow the president into the hall with the nuclear football – a briefcase carrying the nuclear launch codes – he was stopped by Chinese security guards.

Another US official ran into the next room to alert Chief of Staff John Kelly, according to Axios, which cited five sources with knowledge of the situation. Mr Kelly ran over to the official carrying the football and instructed him to keep moving, sparking commotion in the hall.

A Chinese security guard reportedly grabbed Mr Kelly, but the former Marine corps general threw him off. A US Secret Service agent then jumped on the Chinese security officer, tackling him to the ground.

The Chinese reportedly did not touch the briefcase during the skirmish, according to Axios. Officials briefed on the incident were asked to keep it quiet.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. After this article was first published, the Secret Service tweeted that "reports about Secret Service agents tackling a host nation official during the President’s trip to China in Nov 2017 are false".

White Hosue Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later added: "A quick scuffle ensued and the individual was detained."

Mr Trump seemed unfazed by the situation at the time, heaping praise on Chinese President Xi Jinping in a press conference later that day.

During the meeting in the Great Hall, accompanied by Mr Xi and Chinese business leaders, Mr Trump reportedly oversaw the signing of $250bn in trade deals. The group later dined on kung pao chicken and stewed beef steak.

“My meetings with President Xi Jinping were very productive on both trade and the subject of North Korea,” Mr Trump tweeted later that day. “He is a highly respected and powerful representative of his people. It was great being with him and Madame Peng Liyuan!”

The nuclear football is the leather briefcase containing the nuclear biscuit – a credit-card-sized piece of plastic that contains the nuclear launch codes. The biscuit is placed inside the football and carried by an aide near the president whenever he is travelling.

Past presidents, however, have reportedly lost the nuclear biscuit several times since its introduction in the 1960s. According to a book by Lieutenant Col Patterson, former aide to president Bill Clinton, the 42nd president once misplaced the biscuit for months.

Former president Jimmy Carter was also rumoured to have left the biscuit in a suit that was sent to the dry cleaners.