Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed his “confidence” in Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley after an alleged call to reassure his Chinese counterpart there would be no surprise U.S. attack in the waning days of former President Donald Trump’s term.

It was the latest sign that both the Biden administration and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were closing ranks behind Milley as he faces calls to resign over what critics perceived as undermining civilian control of the military and Trump’s constitutional powers as commander in chief. Milley’s call to China was first reported in a book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward and Washington Post reporter Robert Costa.