Gen. Mark Milley has been accused of dodging questions on allegations he kept information from President Donald Trump and undermined him while he was in office.
Milley has ignored calls from Republicans to clarify comments attributed to him in Watergate reporter Bob Woodward‘s book Peril, in which it is claimed he did not tell Trump about a crucial call with a top Chinese official.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) have accused Milley of continuing to dodge giving answers about his discussions with Chinese General Li Zuocheng, despite admitting he spoke to Woodward about the calls for the 2021 book.
The book’s description of the calls made waves last year, with Republicans charging that Milley was usurping the chain of command by telling the Chinese general he would warn China about any possible military strike ordered by Trump.
Banks and Grassley claim Milley continues to insist he has not read the book despite promising to read it and give answers on it back in September.
“Sidestepping the President and violating the Chain of Command is a grave crime. According to Bob Woodward’s book Peril, General Mark Milley directed senior military officers not to follow the president’s orders, unless General Milley approved them first,” Banks said in a House floor speech last week. “I am calling on General Milley to set the record straight. General Milley is accused of secretly seizing the president’s military powers. … If he is innocent, he has a duty to say so.”
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Milley defended himself in his Senate statement in September.
“The specific purpose of the October and January calls was generated by concerning intelligence which caused us to believe the Chinese were worried about an imminent attack by the U.S.,” Milley said. “I know, I am certain, President Trump did not intend on attacking the Chinese, and it is my directed responsibility to convey presidential orders and intent.”
Milley said he informed the secretary of defense after his calls. The general added: “At no time was I attempting to change or influence the process, usurp authority, or insert myself into the chain of command.”
The Woodward book contends that on Oct. 30, four days before the election, “Milley examined the latest sensitive intelligence. What he read was alarming: The Chinese believed the United States was going to attack them.”
Milley was quoted as telling the Chinese general: “I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be okay. We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operation against you. General Li, you and I have known each other for now 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. It’s not going to be a bolt out of the blue.” Li was quoted as replying: “Okay. I take you at your word.”
The book said Milley “did not tell Trump about his call with General Li.”
Grassley said on the floor of the Senate last week, “Gen. Milley, honor your word. Answer the questions. Come clean with the American people.”
Milley testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September, where he admitted he had spoken to Woodward for Peril, as well as to reporters for the books I Alone Can Fix It and Frankly We Did Win This Election, but denied reading them.
“I haven’t read any of the books, so I don’t know. I’ve seen press reporting of it,” Milley said, but when Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) asked him to read the books, then let Congress know if he was accurately portrayed, the general promised, “Absolutely. Happy to do that.”
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The next day, Milley testified to the House Armed Services Committee that “part of my job is to communicate to the media what we do as a government.”
Banks asked if he was embarrassed by the book, and Milley said that “I haven’t read the book yet.” When asked if he was embarrassed by his portrayal in the book, the general said: “Embarrassed? No. I’m concerned there’s mischaracterizations of me becoming very politicized as an individual and that it’s my willingness to become politicized, which is not true.”
