gen milley joint chiefs

6/20 belated

backed by John kelly cos

OLD CQ BROWN FIRED 'Absolute insanity': Trump sparks widespread outrage after 'Friday Night Massacre' - Alternet.org ON TRUTH SOCIAL?

2 26 CAIN ~ IRAN WAR? KELLY BS?

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From the October 28, 2025, edition of Newsmax's Carl Higbie Frontline

:{:{CARL HIGBIE (HOST): Yeah, I think every one of those pardons and commutations should be considered void. Just as we said, for the last four years, we were called crazy that there might be even the possibility of a shadow government operating independent of the president — I mean, who appeared to be a vegetable at the time — and all these people said that these investigations were partisan and they were useless and they were a waste of taxpayer — it turns out a so-called conspiracy theorists were right again. These investigations are 100% necessary because why would you wish pardons to people if you didn't think they needed something to be pardoned for?}:

The January 6 committee, at a bare minimum, they deleted the evidence, which is a crime. Worst case scenario, they covered up for the FBI, embedding 274 undercover agents in assets and the crowd that day. Who knows if they were the ones who broke in first, which would make it entrapment, like the FBI did to Gretchen Whitmer's kidnapping case that got thrown out. Covered it up, obviously. They lied about it and then used those investigations to impeach Donald Trump to try to prevent him from running again so that he would never find out about the coup the deep state ran, undermining his entire first presidency.}:

Either way, people should probably go to jail. Doctor Fauci should be buried under the jail for conspiracy against rights. The architect of completely fabricated medical data to remove constitutional rights, like the right to peaceably assemble for, I don't know, church. Oh, and force you to inject an experimental vaccine. Then you got General Mark Milley. Remember, he had discussions with the Chinese counterpart saying that he would warn China if the president was planning any military action. That's like treason to me. Under 18 U.S. Code 2381, reinforcing Article three, Section three of the Constitution. He can be sentenced to death for that. I bet Milley's freaking out right now. And he should be.

:{:{Now, here's a constitutional crisis that this may have actually created, though. Obviously the DOJ should investigate this to the fullest extent of the law. But when these people get hauled in for questioning under oath, how does that go? Because this is unique. Once you've accepted a pardon, you don't have a Fifth Amendment right anymore because that's the right to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination. }:

But if you've accepted that pardon, apparently you can't be incriminated. So what happens if these people — I mean, they have to talk at that point. So what happens if these people disclose information that incriminates themselves in being complicit with a fraudulent pardon? How about did Hunter sell any of those pardons to anyone? Want to ask him that? This has literally never been litigated before. Ever. And the reason it's never been litigated is because no White House was ever arrogant enough to conduct such a fast and loose autopen use procedure.}:

mma

### Donald Trump suggested Gen. Mark Milley deserves to be executed. TV news barely covered it.

09/26/23 12:40 PM EDT

### Broadcast news shows and print outlets largely ignored Gen. Milley calling Trump “fascist to the core”

10/14/24 3:01 PM EDT

### Fox News host Mark Levin attacks retired Gen. Mark Milley for saying that Trump is a fascist to the core

10/23/24

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commute peltier

===

During the final hours of his presidency — with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration only hours away — Joe Biden announced his last-minute preemptive pardons, making it clear that he was determined to shield those he pardoned from frivolous prosecutions under the new administration.

The pardons included Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Gen. Mark Milley, ex-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and former members of the January 6 Select Committee, including ex-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) and ex-Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois).

Biden, in his announcement, stated, "Our nation relies on dedicated, selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy." In certain cases, some have even been threatened with criminal prosecutions, including General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and members and staff of the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol…. These public servants have served our nation with honor and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions."

The outgoing president emphatically added that "the issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense."

On X, formerly Twitter, far-right Trump supporters were quick to attack Biden for the pardons, from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) to Fox News' Laura Ingraham.

Greene tweeted, "Pardoned because they are guilty of CRIMES. Never forget what they did and who the Democrats are. The mask is completely OFF."

Ingraham posted, "With the Fauci and Milley pardons, Biden shows that he is the one who will violate any norm. Good riddance to him, his puppet masters and all those who enabled The Lie. ("Biden's as sharp as ever.") A new dawn is here!"

Infowars host Alex Jones remarked, "Biden issues 11th hour pardons of globalist crime syndicate members! The DEEP STATE is running scared!"

Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk wrote, "Biden just preemptively pardoned Fauci, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Mark Milley and all staff of the J6 Committee. They know at noon everything changes. This is a provocation. Shock and awe time. High noon is almost here."

Kylie Jane Kremer, executive director of Women for America First, tweeted: "F**K YOU to the Deep State & the Staffers who are lying & pretending Joe Biden is pardoning anyone. Joe Biden DOESN'T HAVE THE MENTAL CAPACITY TO PARDON ANYONE! An investigation needs to be opened on these treasonous pigs who just pardoned the J6 Committee, Milley, & Fauci TODAY."

But other X users have applauded the preemptive pardons.

The conservative Republicans Against Trump posted a statement from Milley.

The ex-Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman stated, "After forty-three years of faithful service in uniform to our Nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights. I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety."

CNN's Dana Bash tweeted that Fauci said he is "very appreciative" of the preemptive pardon he received and added, "As (Biden) said, we did nothing wrong, but the baseless accusations and threats are real for me and my family."

MeidasTouch's Ron Filipkowski argued, "I personally am not a fan of the preemptive pardons for many reasons, but I will say the manic, unhinged and furious reactions of MAGA Republicans, which include calling for state court prosecutions and MORE congressional investigations, proves Biden's point on why he did it."

KrassenCast's Ed Krassenstein tweeted, "If you’re upset about Biden pardoning individuals Trump is likely to target with a weaponized justice system, let’s not forget what happened during Trump’s first term. Trump literally used his pardon power to reward people for trying to obstruct a criminal investigation into himself. Trump pardoned Michael Flynn, who was convicted of lying to the FBI during its investigation into TRUMP."

Krassenstein continued, "He pardoned Paul Manafort, who was convicted of witness tampering and obstructing the DOJ's investigation into Trump. And he pardoned Steve Bannon, who was charged with defrauding Trump’s own supporters through a fundraising scheme."

Liberal firebrand and former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann posted, "Breaking: Biden preemptively pardons Liz Cheney, Fauci, Milley, J6 officers Good. Screws Trump, overshadows his inauguration, ruins his day, protects American heroes."

Olbermann also tweeted, "Should pardon millions including all media. Should pardon Megyn Kelly for once pissing Trump off. Pardon everybody It ain't Sun Tzu here but when your opponent goes farcical, out farce him."

MMA 11 13 24

Steve Bannon calls for a military tribunal to try retired General Mark Milley for treason

November 13, 2024, edition of Real America's Voice's War Room

STEVE BANNON (HOST): This is why this is an important moment and a seminal moment in the history of this republic, because President Trump seeing the forces arrayed against him, understanding that he had won 2020 but it was stolen from him and he kind of got kicked to the curb, and the whole established order in every aspect, including canceling his cards and bank lines and everything, every aspect they could surround the great lion, the jackals and the hyenas, to kill it.

…

That's why the investigations must go on. You have to. You have to recall Milley immediately to uniform and let him - and have a military tribunal try him for treason. Has to. Has to happen. If you don't have - if you don't do that, you're not going to be able to exert civilian control over the uniformed services.

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News host Mark Levin attacks retired Gen. Mark Milley for saying that Trump is a fascist to the core 10/23/24 mma

an 10 24

Fox News host and anchor Harris Faulkner quickly shut down a Democratic guest as soon as he brought up the name of Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, who this week declared the ex-president meets the “definition a ‘fascist.'”

General Kelly is far from alone.

Last week, former Trump Chairman of the Join Chiefs, General Mark Milley, said he believes Donald Trump is “fascist to the core,” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”

And on Wednesday, former Trump Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, The Washington Post reported, agreed with General Kelly that Trump meets the definition of a fascist.

Esper “said in a CNN interview that he was reluctant to use the same label that Kelly used in a New York Times interview published Tuesday. But Esper then noted that Kelly had looked up the definition of a fascist in the interview — and Esper urged ‘everybody’ to do the same.”

“Ask yourself, does he fall into those categories?” Esper asked. “And it’s hard to say that he doesn’t when you kind of look at those terms. He certainly has those inclinations, and I think it’s something we should be wary about.”

In addition to declaring the ex-president meets the definition of a fascist, General Kelly shared more disturbing details about his time with Trump.

“Donald Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff is warning that the Republican presidential nominee meets the definition of a fascist and that while in office, Trump suggested that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler ‘did some good things,’” The Associated Press reported Wednesday. “The comments from John Kelly, the retired Marine general who worked for Trump in the White House from 2017 to 2019, came in interviews with both The New York Times and The Atlantic. They build on a growing series of warnings from former top Trump officials as the election enters its final weeks.”

Trump allegedly was very specific in his praise of Hitler and his regime.

“In his interview with The Atlantic, Kelly recalled that when Trump raised the idea of needing ‘German generals,’ Kelly would ask if he meant ‘Bismarck’s generals,’ referring to Otto von Bismarck, the former chancellor of the German Reich who oversaw the unification of Germany. ‘Surely you can’t mean Hitler’s generals,’ Kelly recalled asking Trump. To which the former president responded, ‘Yeah, yeah, Hitler’s generals.’”

The AP also reported, “Kelly added that Trump often fumed at any attempt to constrain his power, and that ‘he would love to be’ a dictator,” and told The Times: “He certainly prefers the dictator approach to government.”

Thursday afternoon, Fox’s Harris Faulkner stopped her guest from sharing those allegations on-air.

“It’s very difficult for them. They hear all this negative, both sides, and they’re tuning it out, so how do you break through?” a Democratic guest told Faulkner. “What I think is telling is that you have someone like President Barack Obama going and stumping for his candidate where on Donald Trump’s side, you don’t see George W. Bush, you don’t see Michael Pence or leading Republicans doing that, and I think that’s a glaring thing that will come evident.”

“His former chief of staff, John Kelly, coming out —” he said before Harris interjected.

“Alright,” she declared, before her guest continued: “with these accusations —”

“You know what,” Faulkner said, talking over her guest. “I’m not going to go down that road.”

“She used the backdrop of the Naval Observatory,” Faulkner said, “to bring up some some items that were years old and without much time left, I would love for us to go into it…”

Rather than allowing her guests to continue on that topic, she called for their last quick thoughts.

Faulkner closed by asking, “I just want to know, where’s the joy? Because he’s dancing and she’s no longer joyful. Find the joy.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

===

Broadcast news shows and print outlets largely ignored Gen. Milley calling Trump “fascist to the core”

Only one article from The Washington Post and one segment from NBC News covered the comments

Written by Tyler Monroe

Published 10/14/24 mma

National broadcast news networks and print outlets buried recent comments from Donald Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Gen. Mark Milley calling the former president “fascist to the core.” Almost all broadcast news shows and the major newspapers ignored the comments, with only NBC’s Meet the Press and The Washington Post covering Milley’s “fascist” remarks.

Reporting surfaced on October 11 that Milley called Trump “fascist to the core” in comments reported in journalist Bob Woodward's upcoming book War. The comments were the latest in a long back and forth between Milley and Trump, with the former president previously suggesting Milley be executed for his comments that Trump was “shameful” and “complicit” in the January 6 attack.

Broadcast and print news almost completely ignored Milley’s characterization of Trump as “fascist.” From October 11, when the comments were first reported, through 12 p.m. ET on October 14, ABC’s Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and This Week; CBS’ Mornings, Evening News, and Face the Nation; and NBC’s Today and Nightly News all failed to mention Milley's comments. Among corporate broadcast news programs, only NBC's Meet the Press discussed the comments at all, with anchor Kristen Welker asking former Rep. Liz Cheney about Milley's comments.

Media Matters also reviewed print articles across five of the top U.S. newspapers by circulation for coverage of Milley's comments and found only one article in The Washington Post mentioning them. The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal all failed to cover Milley's comments calling Trump fascist.

On the October 11, 2024, edition of All in with Chris Hayes, Ian Bassin stressed the need for the American press to put the comments from Milley on “banner headlines.”

Milley's description of Trump as a fascist is just the latest example of a former Trump official denouncing the extremism of the former president.
## Methodology...

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AN 10 24

Donald Trump over the weekend repeatedly said he wants to use the U.S. military against Americans who oppose him, called his critics “the enemy from within,” and declared they are more dangerous than America’s greatest foreign adversaries, including Russia, China, and North Korea.

“I always say we have the outside enemy, so you can say China, you can say Russia, you can say, Kim Jung-Un,” Trump told supporters at an Aurora, Colorado rally on Friday (video below). But, he added: “It’s the enemy from within, all the scum that we have to deal with. that hate our country. That’s a bigger enemy than China and Russia,” he said as the audience cheered.

On Sunday, Trump told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo of his desire to use armed forces against Americans on Election Day.

“I think the bigger problem are the people from within, we have some very bad people, we have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they’re the — and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary by the military.”

Pointing to those remarks, constitutional law scholar Laurence Tribe says, “Just think what this means for the 2028 election if Trump & Vance are in control as of January 20, 2025.”

In both events Trump had been talking about undocumented immigrants before switching his target to American citizens.

AFP called his remarks against U.S. citizens a “sinister election-related threat.” Rolling Stone called it a “a fascist plan to deploy military forces against U.S. citizens who oppose him on election day.” HuffPost described his remarks as “echoing similar language used by Nazis,” and HuffPost legal/justice reporter Brandi Buchman warned the “level of danger that people face if he is ever allowed near office again cannot be understated.” The New Republic declared Trump went “Full Dictator.”

“Trump as President and Commander in Chief would seek to wage war on the American people,” warned historian and professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on fascism and authoritarianism. She adds, “our armed forces could have a new authoritarian role: domestic repression. ‘Handling’ the Leader’s enemies=violence.”

Attorney and former federal and state prosecutor Eric Lisann responded, writing: “Trump has already requested military equipment and protection for him now, as a mere candidate. He will gut the military of its finest leaders, many of whom have identified the historic threat he poses to the country, and turn it into his personal guard.”

The popular historian and professor Heather Cox Richardson called Trump’s attack on his political opponents, “the full leap to authoritarianism.”

“Trump’s full-throated embrace of Nazi ‘race science’ and fascism is deadly dangerous,” she added, noting his “campaign seems to be deliberately pushing the comparisons to historic American fascism by announcing that Trump will hold a rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on October 27, an echo of a February 1939 rally held there by American Nazis in honor of President George Washington’s birthday.”

And historian Steven A. Woodbridge wrote: “Pointing to the ‘enemy within’ is a classic strategy used by those with authoritarian tendencies many times in the past & it would appear nothing has changed. This man is a clear threat to democracy.”

Journalist Ahmed Baba warned, “Trump’s rhetoric is growing more violently authoritarian. His migrant fear-mongering is increasingly racist and now he’s once again saying he’ll deploy the military against people he disagrees with. Trump’s insane authoritarianism is the most important story of this election.”

===

an 1 23

The Jan. 6 insurrection testimony of General Mark Milley revealed that there were conversations among members of the Trump administration to court-martial retired military officers who criticized Trump’s handling of 2020 civil unrest in published op-eds, Insider reports.

A 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and top military aide to Trump since 2019, Milley’s testimony was part of a trove of documents the committee released earlier this week.

The testimony includes Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) asking if Milley considered approaching former Trump advisor, Michael Flynn, about the administration's desire to enforce military action against the retired officers. Milley said he was “concerned about the politicization of the military” after op-eds “very critical of then President Trump” by retired military officers were published.

Milley said, "There was actually discussions with me: Bring him back on Active Duty, court-martial him, you know, make him walk the plank sort of thing, right? I advised them not to do that, because that would further politicize, in my personal view."

Retired military officers the administration targeted for court-martialing were not named during testimony, but according to Insider, a few did publish op-eds criticizing the way Trump responded to nationwide protests following George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

For Foreign Policy, retired Marine Corps General John Allen wrote, “Donald Trump expressed only the barest of condolences at the murder of George Floyd, but he also said nothing about the fundamental and underlying reasons for the unrest: systemic racism and inequality, a historic absence of respect, and a denial of justice.”

Allen also highlighted that Trump "threatened to deploy the U.S. military against American citizens."

Navy Admiral Mike Mullen said in his Atlantic op-ed titled “I Cannot Remain Silent” that he was “deeply worried that as [the military] execute their orders, the members of our military will be co-opted for political purposes.”

Mullen wrote, “Even in the midst of the carnage we are witnessing, we must endeavor to see American cities and towns as our homes and our neighborhoods. They are not 'battle spaces' to be dominated, and must never become so.”

Milley mentioned during testimony that he “was worried about the ‘broader implications’ of politicization of the military, taking action against retired officers who speak out shouldn't be done lightly," Insider reports.

an 922

From Fox News’ Tucker Carlson to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to former President Donald Trump, MAGA Republicans have been claiming that Democrats are undermining the U.S. military by trying to make it as “woke” as possible. Cruz, in a May 19, 2021 tweet, praised the Russian military for not being “woke” and “emasculated” — a tweet that received a scathing response from Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

But the MAGA narrative claim that Democrats and so-called RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) are harming the U.S. military by making it “woke” persists. And Never Trump conservative Max Boot, in a September 26 opinion column for the Washington Post, argues that some disturbing motivations are behind this MAGA narrative.

“Donald Trump Jr., for example, claims a ‘militant female’ can become an admiral or general in today’s military ‘for no other reason other than they’re probably female,’ or “if you can say: Hey, I’m trans,’” Boot explains. “Tucker Carlson asserts: ‘It has been one calculated humiliation after another for the U.S. armed forces: vax mandates, anti-White ideology, sex changes, drag shows. Whatever is necessary to telegraph to the United States military you are worthless.’”

Boot continues, “Needless to say, these fanciful descriptions from bomb-throwers who never served in uniform bear no relation to reality. The U.S. military remains one of the most conservative institutions in America, with traditions dating back centuries. That the military now welcomes African-Americans, women and LGBTQ people — all groups that were kept out in the past — only strengthens an institution that needs to draw on the talents of the whole country to defend it. So, why are cartoonish inhabitants of the Fox News Cinematic Universe caterwauling about a ‘woke military?’”

The conservative columnist answers his question by arguing that the “MAGA brigades want to populate the military with far-right officers who will do whatever Trump or a Trump mini-me commands, no matter how illegal.”

Boot notes that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “became anathema to Trump & Co. not by embracing ‘critical race theory,’ but by making clear that the military would place loyalty to the Constitution above loyalty to Trump.”

“All of these attacks against the military for being too ‘woke’ should be seen as part of the MAGA strategy to harness the armed forces — ‘the guys with the guns,’ as Milley put it — to advance their authoritarian agenda,” Boot warns. “Blake Masters, the ultra-MAGA Republican Senate nominee in Arizona, has even advocated firing all the generals — ‘they’re left-wing politicians’ — and replacing them with ‘the most conservative colonels.’

Unfortunately, there would be little to stop a President Trump or a President Ron DeSantis from doing precisely that as long as the Senate confirms their new generals. A MAGA president could even summon back to active duty loony retired generals such as (Gen. Michael) Flynn or Don Bolduc, the GOP Senate nominee in New Hampshire, and appoint them to senior commands as long as the Senate consents…. The growing chorus of MAGA complaints about the ‘woke military,’ nonsensical as they are, indicate that the challenges will only grow. A homegrown extremist movement that has already captured control of one of the two major political parties is now trying to bend the armed forces to its supreme leader’s malign will.”

odd/telling that trumpista GOP is turning on longtime allies held by americans in high esteen, military and corps, call them woke when not loyal to trump?

jbs called ike a commie --> end?

3 22

Fact checker shreds Trump Jr.'s claim about 6 million military hours being spent promoting the 'woke' agenda

Donald Trump, Jr. speaking at the 2019 Teen Student Action Summit, hosted by Turning Point USA at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C., Gage Skidmore

Meaghan Ellis March 03, 2022

A fact-checker is pushing back against Don Trump Jr.'s latest claim suggesting the military's last 6 million hours have placed an emphasis on the so-called "woke" agenda.

The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler highlighted remarks made by former President Donald Trump's son when he appeared at theConservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla. At one point during his speech, he criticized the U.S. military.

“Our generals, the great woke leaders of our military that spent 6 million man-hours training our troops about wokeness — not fighting, not killing bad guys," Trump Jr., said on February 27. "They wanted to learn about White rage, a term none of us had heard of prior to him [Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff] testifying, right?”

[Donald Trump Jr. Bashes Biden Over Ukraine Crisis In Fiery CPAC 2022 Remarks | Full Speech

youtu.be]

Kessler pushed back with the facts about the military's hours spent. He noted that Trump Jr.'s remarks would only make sense to conservatives who rely on information from far-right influential platforms like Fox News and Newsmax. He went on to explain why.

After tracking down the six million figure, Kessler acknowledged that it derives from a letter written by Milley that was addressed to Sen. James M. Inhofe (Okla.), who is a high-ranking Republican official serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee. At the time, Inhofe had requested to know how much time had been dedicated to three key items as under the U.S. Department of Justice requirements. Those items, according to Kessler, are "an extremism 'stand-down' related to the Jan. 6 attacks on the Capitol, a climate change plan and a new diversity, equity and inclusion training program."

Although Trump Jr. claimed the military had spent a substantial amount of its time on the woke agenda,Kessler pointed out that they actually placed an emphasis on mitigating extremism.

"The biggest chunk of time was devoted to the extremism stand-down — nearly 5.4 million hours," Kessler explained. "Since nearly 2.5 million members of the military participated, that means about two hours per person, which Milley noted is “comparable to other Joint Force periodic training requirements.” The climate change plan (1,059 hours) and diversity training (529,711 hours) brought the total up to 5.9 million hours. But you can see that more than 90 percent of the total related to the extremism course."

Kessler also highlighted Trump Jr.'s attempt to bend words.

"Notice the sneaky trick that Trump Jr. plays here," he wrote.

The vast majority of the “6 million man-hours” and the “White rage” comment concerned the attack on the Capitol by supporters of his father — an attack that the former president has defended and even seemed to celebrate. But his son does not make that clear. Instead, he claims that this is all about a “woke agenda” imposed by the Biden administration. To some extent that might be a matter of opinion, but it seems like a real stretch."

He concluded saying that although the 6 figure number is an actual estimate of real-time hours, "there is no evidence that this relatively minor course detracted from any military training — and Trump Jr. entirely mischaracterizes what the training was for."

nuke codes? call to china no war? thus "treason" BS?

https://www.alternet.org/2021/09/mark-milley-matt-gaetz/

trump says does not want to do a coup w/ milley?!

pentagon "decapitated" sec of def tried to hold on a few more days ~ nunes wackos

experts warn of 'national emergency' after bombshell report reveals top general feared Trump would stage military coup

David Badash The New Civil Rights Movement

July 15, 2021

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Donald Trump, **General Mark Milley**, was so concerned the outgoing president would try to stage a military coup he warned the heads of the U.S. Military branches,...

Joint Chiefs chairman incinerates Matt Gaetz with epic lecture on Critical Race Theory

David Badash The New Civil Rights Movement

June 23, 2021

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley blasted **U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz** for mocking and opposing critical race theory during what was supposed to be a budget hearing. He left the Florida Republica

"woke" military aha last fed/gubmint institution to fall, once sacrosanct b/c manly, trad conservative and defend us from evil commies; god bless our troops almost secular so common?

https://www.alternet.org/2021/06/fox-news-2653517083/

gen milley vs gaetz "take their budget" [grn beret?]; i'm a wht guy want to understand rage; biggest 2 wars bloody ~ racist = nazi and csa/kkk? read mao and marx, not commie

https://www.alternet.org/2020/09/which-side-will-our-military-be-on-trump-and-gop-openly-hatch-election-theft-plot/

Trump's transparent efforts to sow doubt and discord around this year's election, his desire to confirm a right-wing Supreme Court justice ahead of November's contest, and his repeated refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power regardless of the outcome, the specter of Trump ordering active-duty troops to quash protests during a possibly chaotic interregnum has reportedly provoked anxiety at the Pentagon.

According to Friday reporting by the New York Times,high-ranking military leaders have vowed to keep the armed forces out of the electoral process and its potentially chaotic aftermath, with Defense Department officials saying top generals could resign if the commander in chief tries to deploy them to U.S. streets.

As the Times reports:

Senior leaders at the Pentagon, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that they were talking among themselves about what to do if Mr. Trump, who will still be president from Election Day to Inauguration Day, invokes the Insurrection Act and tries to send troops into the streets, as he repeatedly threatened to do during the protests against police brutality and systemic racism.

The Insurrection Act gives the president the power to deploy active-duty military personnel to neutralize civil unrest even if governors are opposed to it. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper both objected to taking that route this summer, and Trump yielded, though not before nearly firing Esper.

But the Times noted that Trump, "who refers to the armed forces as 'my military' and 'my generals,' has lumped them with other supporters like Bikers for Trump, who could offer backup in the face of opposition" this fall and winter.

"Which side will our military be on when this happens?" tweeted Charles Idelson of National Nurses United earlier this week after Trump refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he is defeated at the polls. In other countries, a head of state's threat to "get rid of the ballots" to ensure a "continuation" rather than a "transfer" of power would be called a coup d'état, Idelson remarked. Many have been wondering for weeks what will happen if Trump, who has declined more than once to abide by the results of the electionand has repeatedly and baselessly attacked mail-in ballots in an attempt to undermine the validity of the vote—which isalready underway in some states—loses and refuses to voluntarily leave office.

In all the other banana republics they call this a coup d etat? Which side will our military be on when this happen… https://t.co/iodAYqYtYr

— Charles Idelson (@Charles Idelson)1600931521.0

On August 11, retired Army officers John Nagl and Paul Yingling argued in an open letter to Milley that "you may have to choose between defying a lawless president or betraying your constitutional oath... If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the U.S. military must remove him by force, and you must give that order."

As CNN reported last month, Nagl and Yingling's "advocacy for having the armed forces get involved in settling a disputed election prompted backlash from both the Pentagon and other experts in the field of civilian-military relations."

When answering questions posed by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Rep. Mikie Sherril (D-N.J.), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, Milley in late August was emphatic that the military would play no role in resolving a disputed election.

"I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical U.S. military," Milley told lawmakers. "In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law U.S. courts and the U.S. Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the U.S. military. I foresee no role for the U.S armed forces in this process."

As the Associated Pressreported last month, Milley "anchored many of his responses" in the U.S. Constitution. "Asked if the military would refuse an order from the president if he was attempting to use military action for political gain rather than national security, Milley said, 'I will not follow an unlawful order.'"

Milley was sharply criticized in June by current and former lawmakers and members of the armed forces for participating in Trump's militarized stunt in which protesters in Lafayette Square near the White House were violently dispersed by the National Guard so that Trump could be photographed holding a bible in front of St. John's Church.

Milley publicly apologized for escorting Trump through the park, much to the chagrin of the president.

According to the Times, in private discussions at the Defense Department about "the possibility of Mr. Trump trying to use any civil unrest around the elections to put his thumb on the scales... several Pentagon officials said that such a move could prompt resignations among many of Mr. Trump's senior generals, starting at the top with General Milley" and likely including General Charles Brown, the Air Force chief of staff.

Earlier this year, Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown University law professor and past Defense Department official under former President Barack Obama, was the head of a bipartisan team of more than 100 former national security officials and election experts who simulated the most significant risks to a peaceful transfer of power.

The Transition Integrity Project stressed that there is "a high degree of likelihood that November's elections will be marked by a chaotic legal and political landscape," and it is likely that Trump will "contest the result by both legal and extra-legal means, in an attempt to hold onto power."

But the analysis highlighted that "these risks can be mitigated," and the report (pdf) states:

The worst outcomes of the exercises are far from a certainty. The purpose of this report is not to frighten, but to spur all stakeholders to action. Our legal rules and political norms don't work unless people are prepared to defend them and to speak out when others violate them. It is incumbent upon elected officials, civil society leaders, and the press to challenge authoritarian actions in the courts, in the media, and in the streets through peaceful protest.

In a letter released Thursday, nearly 500 retired military leaders and national security officials from both major political parties said Trump is unfit for office and endorsed Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden.

TheTimesreported that Milley on Thursday during a virtual question-and-answer session with U.S. service members around the world urged them to "keep the Constitution close to your heart."

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https://www.alternet.org/2020/06/it-was-a-mistake-joint-chiefs-of-staff-chairman-says-he-was-wrong-for-walking-with-trump-to-his-church-photo-op/

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'it was a mistake’: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says he was wrong for walking with Trump to church photo-op

President Donald J. Trump walks from the White House Monday evening, June 1, 2020, to St. John’s Episcopal Church, known as the church of Presidents’s, that was damaged by fire during demonstrations in nearby LaFayette Square Sunday evening. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

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Written by Alex Henderson June 11, 2020

U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley was among those who accompanied President Donald Trump when, on June 1, he took his now-infamous walk from the White House to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. in order to have a photo-op — and now, the Associated Press is reporting, Milley is saying that he was wrong to accompany Trump that day.

The Associated Press

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BREAKING: Army Gen. Mark Milley, the nation's top military officer, says he was wrong to have accompanied President Trump on a walk to a church through Lafayette Square, where he was photographed in his combat uniform with the presidential entourage. http://apne.ws/YmgW2pI

Milley says he was wrong to accompany Trump on church walk

WASHINGTON (AP) — Army Gen. Mark Milley, the nation's top military officer, said Thursday he was wrong to accompany President Donald Trump on a walk through Lafayette Square that ended in a photo...

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During a speech for a National Defense University commencement ceremony, Milley (chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff) asserted, “I should not have been there.”

Milley went on to say, “My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics. As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from — and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it.”

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The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman also asserted that the U.S. “must hold dear the principle of an apolitical military that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our republic. It takes time and work and effort, but it may be the most important thing each and every of us does every single day.”