Topline
Gen. Mark Milley, the outgoing chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he has taken steps to protect his and his family’s safety after being attacked by former President Donald Trump, who suggested the top general should face the death penalty for a conversation he had with his Chinese counterpart.
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley speaks to the media following the 15th … [+] meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base.
Key Facts
In an excerpt of his CBS 60 Minutes interview aired on Wednesday night, Milley delivered his first public response to a recent social media post by Trump, who said the general’s upcoming retirement was “a time for all Americans to celebrate” and accused Milley of treason.
Reacting to the comments, Milley told CBS that he was a soldier and he has been “faithful to the Constitution of the United States” for nearly 45 years, adding he and his family “sacrificed greatly for this country.”
Milley said that as much as Trump’s remarks are directed at him, “it’s also directed at the institution of the military…2.1 million of us in uniform.”
Milley said he won’t directly comment on the specifics of Trump’s post, but “this military, this soldier, me, will never turn our back on that Constitution.”
When asked if there was anything treasonous about the calls he made to China, Milley said “Absolutely not. Zero. None.”
Commenting on his safety, Milley said he has “adequate safety precautions” and will take “appropriate measures” to ensure the safety of his family.
Key Background
In the Truth Social post he made over the weekend, Trump raged against Milley, first saying he led “the most embarrassing moment in American history” with his “incompetent implementation” of the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Trump then called Milley a “Woke train wreck” and accused him of “dealing with China to give them a heads up on the thinking of the President of the United States.” The former president said Milley’s actions were “so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!” Calling Milley’s actions a “treasonous act,” Trump added it could have led to a war between the U.S. and China. Trump ended his angry post with: “To be continued!!!”
What To Watch For
The whole interview will air on an upcoming episode of 60 Minutes, which will feature Milley’s comments on why he thought the calls to his Chinese counterpart Gen. Li Zuocheng in 2020 were “not only proper, but necessary to avert a war,” anchor Norah O’Donnell said.
Chief Critic
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), a vocal ally of Trump, also attacked Milley in his weekly newsletter on Sunday, writing: “We now know that the deviant Milley was coordinating with Nancy Pelosi to hurt President Trump, and treasonously working behind Trump’s back. In a better society, quislings like the strange sodomy-promoting General Milley would be hung.”
Further Reading
Trump Accuses Media Of ‘Treason’ In Escalation Of Social Media Threats (Forbes)
Gen. Milley says he has “appropriate” safety measures after Trump social media threat (CBS News)
