Opinion by
Max Boot
Columnist
Yesterday at 5:32 p.m. EDT
On Sept. 14, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa released excerpts from their new book “Peril.” The book revealed that, after the November election, Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, twice called his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng, to assure him that the United States’ political system was stable and the Trump administration had no intention of attacking China. Milley also assured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that the military would not do “anything illegal, immoral or unethical,” and reviewed with senior officers the proper procedures for launching nuclear weapons.
Normally Republicans are quick to dismiss media reports as “fake news.” But, in this instance, Trump and his acolytes were quick to accept the Woodward-Costa reporting — without, of course, knowing the context because the book had not yet been published. Right-wingers simply invented their own narrative, in which Milley had violated his oath of office and betrayed the country.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) accused Milley of a “treasonous leak of classified information to the Chinese Communist Party in advance of a potential armed conflict,” and demanded that President Biden dismiss him. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance suggested that Milley had engaged in a “coup.” Trump himself weighed in to label Milley a “Dumbass” and a “failed leader” who should “be tried for TREASON” because he had “been dealing with his Chinese counterpart behind the President’s back.”
As it happens, Woodward and Costa never claimed that Milley exceeded his authority. And on Tuesday and Wednesday, in hearings of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, Milley explained that he had just been doing his job while keeping his civilian superiors fully informed. He noted that 11 people were with him during his Jan. 8 call with Li, and shortly after the call ended he personally informed both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Milley also testified that he had immediately informed acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller about his Jan. 8 call with Pelosi. Milley made clear that he was not attempting to usurp the president’s ability to launch nuclear weapons. He was only making sure that there would be no “illegal, unauthorized or accidental launch.” “By law, I am not in the chain of command, and I know that,” he said Tuesday. “However, by presidential directive and [Defense Department of Defense] instruction, I am in the chain of communication.”
No one has challenged the veracity of Milley’s testimony — delivered under oath. So where are the retractions and apologies from Trump, Rubio and all the rest of the rabid partisans who accused a decorated combat veteran of treason based on a hasty misreading of a book excerpt?
They are not and will not be forthcoming; the only apology on offer Wednesday was from Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who didn’t make these vile accusations in the first place. Nor have Trump and his minions apologized to the senior FBI officials they accused of treason and coup-plotting, even though Trump’s own Justice Department never found any evidence of an FBI conspiracy against the Trump campaign. In the Trumplican Party, making deranged accusations against a target of right-wing wrath is considered a sign of strength; admitting you were wrong is an inexcusable indicator of moderation.
At this week’s hearings, Republicans, rather than apologizing to Milley, blamed him for the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. They did this even though he made it clear that his own preference had been to keep a small U.S. force there — and even though many of those same Republicans had supported the pullout when it was first announced by Trump.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) demanded to know why Milley hadn’t resigned in protest over the pullout. Milley pointed out that this would create the very politicization of the military that Republicans decry: “It’s a political act if I’m resigning in protest. … This country doesn’t want generals figuring out what orders we’re going to accept and do or not.”
The Republican lawmakers also assailed Milley for speaking to Woodward and other authors writing books about the Trump administration. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined in calling on Milley to resign, arguing that general had been more focused on being “favorably portrayed by the D.C. press corps” than in dealing with “a rapidly deteriorating, frankly, disastrous situation in Afghanistan.”
Imagine a senior government official speaking to Woodward while a crisis was raging. What an outrage! No Republican would ever do such a thing. Right? Except, umm, that’s precisely what Trump did during the covid-19 pandemic last year. For Woodward’s previous book “Rage,” he spoke to Trump 18 times between December 2019 and late July 2020.
I’m sure right after all of these Republicans apologize to Milley for their outrageous, unfounded accusations of treason, they will castigate Trump for doing what Milley did — i.e., speaking to journalists in the midst of an unfolding disaster. I know: Dream on. That would require Republicans to display a scintilla of honesty, decency or intellectual consistency — all qualities that are AWOL among the Trump cultists who now dominate the GOP.
Max Boot
Columnist
Yesterday at 5:32 p.m. EDT
On Sept. 14, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa released excerpts from their new book “Peril.” The book revealed that, after the November election, Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, twice called his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Li Zuocheng, to assure him that the United States’ political system was stable and the Trump administration had no intention of attacking China. Milley also assured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that the military would not do “anything illegal, immoral or unethical,” and reviewed with senior officers the proper procedures for launching nuclear weapons.
Normally Republicans are quick to dismiss media reports as “fake news.” But, in this instance, Trump and his acolytes were quick to accept the Woodward-Costa reporting — without, of course, knowing the context because the book had not yet been published. Right-wingers simply invented their own narrative, in which Milley had violated his oath of office and betrayed the country.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) accused Milley of a “treasonous leak of classified information to the Chinese Communist Party in advance of a potential armed conflict,” and demanded that President Biden dismiss him. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance suggested that Milley had engaged in a “coup.” Trump himself weighed in to label Milley a “Dumbass” and a “failed leader” who should “be tried for TREASON” because he had “been dealing with his Chinese counterpart behind the President’s back.”
As it happens, Woodward and Costa never claimed that Milley exceeded his authority. And on Tuesday and Wednesday, in hearings of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, Milley explained that he had just been doing his job while keeping his civilian superiors fully informed. He noted that 11 people were with him during his Jan. 8 call with Li, and shortly after the call ended he personally informed both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Milley also testified that he had immediately informed acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller about his Jan. 8 call with Pelosi. Milley made clear that he was not attempting to usurp the president’s ability to launch nuclear weapons. He was only making sure that there would be no “illegal, unauthorized or accidental launch.” “By law, I am not in the chain of command, and I know that,” he said Tuesday. “However, by presidential directive and [Defense Department of Defense] instruction, I am in the chain of communication.”
No one has challenged the veracity of Milley’s testimony — delivered under oath. So where are the retractions and apologies from Trump, Rubio and all the rest of the rabid partisans who accused a decorated combat veteran of treason based on a hasty misreading of a book excerpt?
They are not and will not be forthcoming; the only apology on offer Wednesday was from Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who didn’t make these vile accusations in the first place. Nor have Trump and his minions apologized to the senior FBI officials they accused of treason and coup-plotting, even though Trump’s own Justice Department never found any evidence of an FBI conspiracy against the Trump campaign. In the Trumplican Party, making deranged accusations against a target of right-wing wrath is considered a sign of strength; admitting you were wrong is an inexcusable indicator of moderation.
At this week’s hearings, Republicans, rather than apologizing to Milley, blamed him for the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. They did this even though he made it clear that his own preference had been to keep a small U.S. force there — and even though many of those same Republicans had supported the pullout when it was first announced by Trump.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) demanded to know why Milley hadn’t resigned in protest over the pullout. Milley pointed out that this would create the very politicization of the military that Republicans decry: “It’s a political act if I’m resigning in protest. … This country doesn’t want generals figuring out what orders we’re going to accept and do or not.”
The Republican lawmakers also assailed Milley for speaking to Woodward and other authors writing books about the Trump administration. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined in calling on Milley to resign, arguing that general had been more focused on being “favorably portrayed by the D.C. press corps” than in dealing with “a rapidly deteriorating, frankly, disastrous situation in Afghanistan.”
Imagine a senior government official speaking to Woodward while a crisis was raging. What an outrage! No Republican would ever do such a thing. Right? Except, umm, that’s precisely what Trump did during the covid-19 pandemic last year. For Woodward’s previous book “Rage,” he spoke to Trump 18 times between December 2019 and late July 2020.
I’m sure right after all of these Republicans apologize to Milley for their outrageous, unfounded accusations of treason, they will castigate Trump for doing what Milley did — i.e., speaking to journalists in the midst of an unfolding disaster. I know: Dream on. That would require Republicans to display a scintilla of honesty, decency or intellectual consistency — all qualities that are AWOL among the Trump cultists who now dominate the GOP.
