On Tuesday, Liz Truss, at a meeting of Conservative Party members in Birmingham, was asked by host John Pienaar about the daunting decision she could face concerning application of nuclear weapons.
"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." John Pienaar said and 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."
Liz Truss previously signaled her intention to renew the nuclear deterrent during her leadership campaign.
Truss and former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak are the two final candidates in the election race for the post of prime minister, which came after Boris Johnson announced his resignation on July 7.
The last round of voting in the Tory leadership race is taking place until early September. During the last round, all members of the party — around 200,000 people — will choose the winner from the two finalists. The voting will take place by mail. Johnson's successor will be announced on September 5.