Washington: A spokesperson for Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley confirmed on Wednesday that Milley reassured his Chinese counterpart that the U.S. would not launch a surprise attack in “order to maintain strategic stability” in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Newly released excerpts from “Peril” by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa — detailing secret moves by the nation’s highest-ranking military officers to manage national security risks that he perceived Trump posed in the final days of his presidency — are driving questions about whether Milley went too far.
According to Woodward and Costa, Milley believed the president had gone into “serious mental decline” following the election and was worried he might “go rogue.”
On Jan. 8, Milley called senior military officials in charge of the National Military Command Center to a secret meeting in his Pentagon office. There, Milley ordered those present not to take orders unless he was involved.
According to the book, Milley reportedly assured his Chinese counterpart that Trump would not attack China and that if Trump did decide to attack then Milley would give his Chinese counterpart a heads up.
“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs regularly communicates with Chiefs of Defense across the world, including with China and Russia,” spokesperson David Butler said.
“These conversations remain vital to improving mutual understanding of U.S. national security interests, reducing tensions, providing clarity and avoiding unintended consequences or conflict,” he added.
“His calls with the Chinese and others in October and January were in keeping with these duties and responsibilities conveying reassurance in order to maintain strategic stability.”
“All calls from the Chairman to his counterparts, including those reported, are staffed, coordinated and communicated with the Department of Defense and the interagency.”
Trump responded Tuesday with a sharply worded statement dismissing Milley as a “Dumbass”, and insisting he never considered attacking China.
Still, he said that if the report was true, “I assume he would be tried for treason in that he would have been dealing with his Chinese counterpart behind the President’s back and telling China that he would be giving them notification ‘of an attack’. Can’t do that!” “Actions should be taken immediately against Milley,” Trump said.
Milley believed the president suffered a mental decline after the election, agreeing with a view shared by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a phone call they had on January 8, according to officials.
Pelosi had previously said she spoke to Milley that day about “available precautions” to prevent Trump from initiating military action or ordering a nuclear launch, and she told colleagues she was given unspecified assurances that there were longstanding safeguards in place.
Officials in January and on Tuesday confirmed that Milley spoke with Pelosi, which was made public by the House speaker at the time. The officials said the two talked about the existing, long-held safeguards in the process for a nuclear strike. One official said Tuesday that Milley’s intent in speaking with his staff and commanders about the process was not a move to subvert the president or his power, but to reaffirm the procedures and ensure they were understood by everyone.
In response to the book, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sent President Joe Biden a letter Tuesday urging him to fire Milley, saying the general worked to “actively undermine the sitting Commander in Chief”.
