have a/(one's) finger on the button

have a/(one's) finger on the button

To be responsible for choosing to fire a country's nuclear weapons. Who has their finger on the button? Who will decide if we fire back at that country?
See also: button, finger, have, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • under fire
  • draw (someone's) fire
  • draw fire
  • draw someone's fire
  • put out a/the fire
  • a fire under (someone or something)
  • miss fire
  • on fire
  • take fire
  • open fire on (someone)