Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss said she would be willing to unleash nuclear war if she becomes Prime Minister.
The Foreign Secretary - who looks increasingly likely to succeed Boris Johnson in the top office - tonight said she was "ready" to hit the nuclear button if needed - even though it would mean "global annihilation".
She made the remark at a hustings event in Birmingham, when she was quizzed by host John Pienaar about the daunting decision she could face.
Mr Pienaar said he would feel "physically sick" at the prospect, but Ms Truss appeared emotionless as she said she would order the launch of nuclear weapons.
Addressing a hustings event comprising of Tory party faithful at the NEC in Birmingham, Ms Truss said the ominous choice is "an important duty of the Prime Minister".
Mr Pienaar told her: "One of the first things that will happen when and if you become Prime Minister, you'll be ushered into a room, a very private room at Number 10, and there will be laid out in front of you what are called the letters of last resort.
"Your orders to our Trident boat captain on whether you, Prime Minister Liz Truss, is giving the order to unleash nuclear weapons.
"It would mean global annihilation. I won't ask you if you would press the button, you'll say yes, but faced with that task I would feel physically sick."
He then asked: "How does that thought make you feel?"
Ms Truss responded: "I think it's an important duty of the Prime Minister and I'm ready to do that."
She then reiterated: "I'm ready to do that."
The Trident missile system's aim, the Ministry of Defence states, is to "deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, which cannot be done by other means".
Ms Truss has previously signaled her intention to renew the nuclear deterrent during her leadership campaign.
The world's population will be hoping a government led by Ms Truss will be successful in resolving conflict by diplomatic means.
She has been vocal in her intention to stand up to Vladimir Putin, whose regime singled her out in Februrary when it put its nuclear deterrent on high alert.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time: “Statements by various representatives at various levels about possible conflict situations and even collisions and clashes between Nato and the Russian Federation.
"We consider such statements absolutely unacceptable.
“I will not name the authors of these statements, although it was the British foreign secretary."
