Demand Grows For Biden To Fire Milley: General ‘Contemplated A Treasonous Leak’
After news broke out that Biden’s top military official, General Mark Milley may have leaked information to the Chinese government of former President Donald Trump ’s possible plans to attack China, several lawmakers and members of the intelligence community have demanded that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff resign or be fired immediately.
In particular, Republican Senator Marco Rubio (Florida) wrote to President Joe Biden demanding that he fire Milley for what he called a ‘contemplated treasonous leak’ when he informed his Chinese counterpart Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army, that he would tip the Chinese military if the US ever launched a strike against China.
Trending: Vote On The Controversial Poll That Asks Americans ‘Which Media Outlet Is The Most Biased?’
“I write with grave concern regarding recent reporting that General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, worked to actively undermine the sitting Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces and contemplated a treasonous leak of classified information to the Chinese Communist Party in advance of a potential armed conflict with the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” Rubio said in his letter, noting the reports pertaining to Milley’s call with the Chinese leadership.
“These actions by General Milley demonstrate a clear lack of sound judgment, and I urge you to dismiss him immediately,” the senator added.
“It has been reported that General Milley spoke with his counterpart in the People’s Liberation Army after learning the PRC was worried about escalating tensions as a result of military exercises conducted in the South China Sea,” Rubio went on.
“Reportedly, General Milley told his counterpart: ‘[Y]ou and I have known each other for five years. If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.’ I do not need to tell you of the dangers posed by senior military officers leaking classified information on US military operations, but I will underscore that such subversion undermines the President’s ability to negotiate and leverage one of this nation’s instruments of national power in his interactions with foreign nations,” he added, blasting Milley’s actions.
Milley interfering in nuclear actions
“Even more egregious, reports indicate that General Milley interfered with the procedures by which the civilian commander-in-chief can order a nuclear strike,” Rubio went on.
“He purportedly instructed officials not to take orders without his involvement and forced them to take an oath to that effect. A senior military officer interfering with that civilian-controlled process is simply unacceptable at best, and at worst, would cause ambiguity which could lead to war,” the Florida senator added.
Senator Rubio then warned about the possible implications of Milley’s past actions to the US’ future military plans — given his current military post.
“General Milley has attempted to rationalize his reckless behavior by arguing that what he perceived as the military’s judgment was more stable than its civilian commander,” Rubio charged. “It is a dangerous precedent that could be asserted at any point in the future by General Milley or others. It threatens to tear apart our nation’s longstanding principle of civilian control of the military.”
To the Democratic president, Rubio demanded: “You must immediately dismiss General Milley.”
“America’s national security and ability to lead in the world are at stake.”
I don’t care what you think of President Trump, the Chairman of the JCOS working to subvert the military chain of command and collude with China is exactly what we do not accept from military leaders in our country. He should be court martialed if true. https://t.co/cqWo2rXLEC
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 15, 2021
Senator Rand Paul (Kentucky) also ripped Milley’s conduct.
“I don’t care what you think of President Trump, the Chairman of the JCOS working to subvert the military chain of command and collude with China is exactly what we do not accept from military leaders in our country,” he said. “He should be court martialed if true.”
Ex-Pentagon head slams Milley
Meanwhile, former acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller slammed Milley following the report initially made by The Washington Post based on revelations in a forthcoming book from Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, saying Milley’s actions is a “disgraceful and unprecedented act of insubordination.”
Miller said to Fox News that he “did not and would not ever authorize” Milley to have “secret” calls with his Chinese counterpart.
I'm told this (what Jennifer tweeted) is not true. Milley did not properly coordinate: SAO: “When Milley did these calls, it was with Joint Staff, and nobody from OSD participated in it. If someone from State Department was on the call, the Joint Staff should say who it is.” https://t.co/Uub67POGEn
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) September 15, 2021
“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest-ranking military officer whose sole role is providing military-specific advice to the president, and by law is prohibited from exercising executive authority to command forces,” Miller said. “The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense, not through the Chairman.”
“If the reporting in Woodward’s book is accurate, it represents a disgraceful and unprecedented act of insubordination by the Nation’s top military officer,” Miller said, adding that “histrionic outbursts and unsanctioned, anti-Constitutional involvement in foreign policy prove true, he must resign immediately or be fired by the Secretary of Defense to guarantee the sanctity of the officer corps.”
“Pursuit of partisan politics and individual self-interests are a violation of an officer’s sacred duty and have no place in the United States military,” Miller went on, arguing that “a lesser ranking officer accused of such behavior would immediately be relieved of duty pending a thorough and independent investigation.”
Milley said in defense that he was conducting the “duties of his office” when he spoke to his Chinese counterpart shortly before last year’s election.
