A plain reading of the record shows that in the chaotic period before and after the 2020 election, Milley did as much as, or more than, any other American to defend the constitutional order, to prevent the military from being deployed against the American people, and to forestall the eruption of wars with America’s nuclear-armed adversaries. Along the way, Milley deflected Trump’s exhortations to have the U.S. military ignore, and even on occasion commit, war crimes. Milley and other military officers deserve praise for protecting democracy, but their actions should also cause deep unease. In the American system, it is the voters, the courts, and Congress that are meant to serve as checks on a president’s behavior, not the generals. Civilians provide direction, funding, and oversight; the military then follows lawful orders.
...
Shortly after the call from Pelosi, Milley gathered the Pentagon’s top nuclear officers [...] for an emergency meeting. [...] Milley told the assembled generals and admirals that, out of an abundance of caution, he wanted to go over the procedures and processes for deploying nuclear weapons. Hyten summarized the standard procedures—including ensuring the participation of the Joint Chiefs in any conversation with the president about imminent war. At the conclusion of Hyten’s presentation, according to meeting participants, Milley said, “If anything weird or crazy happens, just make sure we all know.” Milley then went to each officer in turn and asked if he understood the procedures. They all affirmed that they did. Milley told other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “All we’ve got to do is see to it that the plane lands on January 20,” when the constitutional transfer of power to the new president would be completed.
[...]
When I mentioned to Milley my view that Trump was mentally and morally unequipped to make decisions concerning war and peace, he would say only, “The president alone decides to launch nuclear weapons, but he doesn’t launch them alone.” He then repeated the sentence.
He has also said in private settings, more colloquially, “The president can’t wake up in the middle of the night and decide to push a button. One reason for this is that there’s no button to push.”
[...]
According to Esper, Trump desperately wanted a violent response to the protesters, asking, “Can’t you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?” When I raised this with Milley, he explained, somewhat obliquely, how he would manage the president’s eruptions.
“It was a rhetorical question,” Milley explained. “ ‘Can’t you just shoot them in the legs?’ ”
“He never actually ordered you to shoot anyone in the legs?” I asked.
“Right. This could be interpreted many, many different ways,” he said.
...
Miley and others around Trump used different methods to handle the unstable president. “You can judge my success or failure on this, but I always tried to use persuasion with the president, not undermine or go around him or slow-roll,” Milley told me. “I would present my argument to him. The president makes decisions, and if the president ordered us to do X, Y, or Z and it was legal, we would do it. If it’s not legal, it’s my job to say it’s illegal, and here’s why it’s illegal. I would emphasize cost and risk of the various courses of action. My job, then and now, is to let the president know what the course of action could be, let them know what the cost is, what the risks and benefits are. And then make a recommendation. That’s what I’ve done under both presidents.”
He went on to say, “President Trump never ordered me to tell the military to do something illegal. He never did that. I think that’s an important point.”
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Milley has told friends that he expects that if Trump returns to the White House, the newly elected president will come after him. “He’ll start throwing people in jail, and I’d be on the top of the list,” he has said. But he’s also told friends that he does not believe the country will reelect Trump.
at 13,000 words, I think this is the longest puff piece I've ever read. how nice of the general to let this dude from the Atlantic accompany him on this inspection tour. Access journalism, or...
at 13,000 words, I think this is the longest puff piece I've ever read.
These nuclear weapons are under the control of the 91st Missile Wing of the Air Force Global Strike Command, and it was to the 91st—the “Rough Riders”—that General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paid a visit in March 2021. I accompanied him on the trip.
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In addition to housing the 91st Missile Wing, Minot is home to the Air Force’s 5th Bomb Wing, and I watched Milley spend the morning inspecting a fleet of B‑52 bombers. Milley enjoys meeting the rank and file, and he quizzed air crews—who appeared a little unnerved at being interrogated with such exuberance by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs—about their roles, needs, and responsibilities. We then flew by helicopter to a distant launch-control facility, to visit the missile officers in charge of the Minuteman IIIs.
how nice of the general to let this dude from the Atlantic accompany him on this inspection tour.
His first overseas mission was to parachute into Somalia in 1984 with a five-man Special Forces A-Team to train a Somali army detachment that was fighting Soviet-backed Ethiopia.
side note: isn't it weird how that backstory gets left out of Black Hawk Down? Somalia is portrayed as war-torn and anarchic as if that's just the natural state of the world there.
He would go on to take part in the invasion of Panama, and he helped coordinate the occupation of northern Haiti during the U.S. intervention there in 1994.
damn, I just need Grenada and then I've got bingo.
but Milley's main motivation for giving this friendly reporter such access seems to have been repairing the damage to his reputation caused by Trump's Lafayette Square photo op:
This misunderstanding threatened to become indelibly ingrained in Washington when Milley made what many people consider to be his most serious mistake as chairman. During the George Floyd protests in early June 2020, Milley, wearing combat fatigues, followed Trump out of the White House to Lafayette Square, which had just been cleared of demonstrators by force. Milley realized too late that Trump, who continued across the street to pose for a now-infamous photo while standing in front of a vandalized church, was manipulating him into a visual endorsement of his martial approach to the demonstrations. Though Milley left the entourage before it reached the church, the damage was significant. “We’re getting the fuck out of here,” Milley said to his security chief. “I’m fucking done with this shit.” Esper would later say that he and Milley had been duped.
For Milley, Lafayette Square was an agonizing episode; he described it later as a “road-to-Damascus moment.”
he describes himself as having this road to Damascus moment, this sudden conversion in June 2020
but he was the Army chief of staff starting in 2015. he'd been living in DC and working with Trump administration officials for the last 4 years.
and several months earlier, he'd tried to talk Trump out of pardoning war criminals:
Soon after becoming chairman, Milley found himself in a disconcerting situation: trying, and failing, to teach President Trump the difference between appropriate battlefield aggressiveness on the one hand, and war crimes on the other. In November 2019, Trump decided to intervene in three different cases that had been working their way through the military justice system. In the most infamous case, the Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher had been found guilty of posing with the corpse of an Islamic State prisoner. Though Gallagher was found not guilty of murder, witnesses testified that he’d stabbed the prisoner in the neck with a hunting knife. (Gallagher’s nickname was “Blade.”) In an extraordinary move, Trump reversed the Navy’s decision to demote him in rank. Trump also pardoned a junior Army officer, Clint Lorance, convicted of second-degree murder for ordering soldiers to shoot three unarmed Afghans, two of whom died. In the third case, a Green Beret named Mathew Golsteyn was accused of killing an unarmed Afghan he suspected was a bomb maker for the Taliban and then covering up the killing. At a rally in Florida that month, Trump boasted, “I stuck up for three great warriors against the deep state.”
so I dunno, I have a bit of trouble believing his version of events that he was pure and innocent and completely taken by surprise and couldn't possibly have seen it coming that Trump duped him into a photo op.
we get some more of the anecdotes that are a dead giveaway that you're reading access journalism and not anything investigative or that views its subject with a critical eye:
We were discussing the Lafayette Square incident while at Quarters Six, the chairman’s home on Generals’ Row at Fort Myer, in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac from the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol.
and some extreme softball interview questions:
I asked Milley to describe the evolution of his post–Lafayette Square outlook. “You know this term teachable moment?” he asked. “Every month thereafter I just did something publicly to continually remind the force about our responsibilities … What I’m trying to do the entire summer, all the way up to today, is keep the military out of actual politics.”
He continued, “We stay out of domestic politics, period, full stop, not authorized, not permitted, illegal, immoral, unethical—we don’t do it.” I asked if he ever worried about pockets of insurrectionists within the military.
“We’re a very large organization—2.1 million people, active duty and reserves. Some of the people in the organization get outside the bounds of the law. We have that on occasion. We’re a highly disciplined force dedicated to the protection of the Constitution and the American people … Are there one or two out there who have other thoughts in their mind? Maybe. But the system of discipline works.”
a more critical journalist might have pressed him on this. instead, here's some more access journalism anecdotes:
This summer, Milley and I visited the War Memorial of Korea, in Seoul, where Milley laid a wreath in front of a wall containing the names of hundreds of Massachusetts men killed in that war.
I guess "journalism is a dying industry" hasn't affected the Atlantic too badly if they're able to fly their reporters to Korea, not to cover any Korea-related news, but as part of this guy's profile of an American general.
Yes, it was a rather long article for what it was. Lots could have been cut. I tried to quote the more interesting bits. But what do you think happened with Lafayette Square? Do you think he...
Yes, it was a rather long article for what it was. Lots could have been cut. I tried to quote the more interesting bits.
But what do you think happened with Lafayette Square? Do you think he intended to participate in Trump’s photo op and then changed his mind after it started? I think it’s quite plausible that he was unaware of what he walked into, pretty much as he described.
I know that as a military man (and a career one at that) Milley knows that he can't take a political stance while in his pinks and greens... But "oh he was asking rhetorically" is such a fucking...
I know that as a military man (and a career one at that) Milley knows that he can't take a political stance while in his pinks and greens...
But "oh he was asking rhetorically" is such a fucking cop out. Why not just look at him and say "Posse Comitatus."? The Latin would leave his head spinning and he'd never understand you're signaling to everyone around that's an unlawful order? Just tell the interviewer "He gave me an unlawful order and therefore it was not followed." His interview is already going to be viewed as a political act by the insurrectionists in the government, might as well speak plainly.
I read it more as a kind of ‘delicately managing up’ maneuver. He (probably smartly) said absolutely nothing to the President so that it couldn’t be received as any kind of challenge to King Baby,...
I read it more as a kind of ‘delicately managing up’ maneuver. He (probably smartly) said absolutely nothing to the President so that it couldn’t be received as any kind of challenge to King Baby, and then after the fact called it a rhetorical question so as to further just deaden any possible perception of challenge to Trump. Doing so not just to save his job, but also because the next person in line to take it might not be as deft at avoiding President-created calamity.
I know it’s a puff piece- but frankly, we need every adult voice we can muster that reinforces respect for systems and government being functional we can get these days. All that ever gets reported are threats to it. Teaching people that there ARE people and institutions and policies that do work and are in place for reasons is important- especially when our schools are so bad at it.
That said, I thank that commenter above for all the added context. Well done sir.
It is literally a question. Interpreting a question as an order seems like a bad move. A rhetorical question is one that doesn’t have to be answered. If he had actually answered the question then...
It is literally a question. Interpreting a question as an order seems like a bad move.
A rhetorical question is one that doesn’t have to be answered. If he had actually answered the question then who knows where it would have gone. Gotten fired, maybe.
The reporter could have asked him to answer the question, though, and I’m sure gotten an explanation of Posse Comitatus.
I've been in a position to advise executive level on things, so I get what he's talking about, but when the top asks for something outside the scope of the current efforts you've got to do just...
I've been in a position to advise executive level on things, so I get what he's talking about, but when the top asks for something outside the scope of the current efforts you've got to do just that and advise them. He claims he did advise Trump but I take issue with calling his questions rhetorical. The question was not rhetorical. Had Milley told him they could shoot protesters, Trump would've ran with it. He never gave the order to shoot them by Milley's account but he did ask after it.
My main point is that Trump's question was not rhetorical because he's openly engaged in actions that show he's not above using violence against protestors (The Bible stunt, etc) and for Milley to claim it was rhetorical is a poor attempt at not appearing political while in uniform. Milley may be correct saying that Trump never actually issued and signed the orders to attack but a question like that isn't rhetorical given his actions.
I suspect Milley deliberately chose an interpretation that seemed most likely to work in the moment (in a lawyer-like way) and he's sticking to it. From the outside it's easy to say that he should...
I suspect Milley deliberately chose an interpretation that seemed most likely to work in the moment (in a lawyer-like way) and he's sticking to it.
From the outside it's easy to say that he should have confronted his crazy boss more, but that's unlikely to be seen as a positive in the military.
From the article:
...
[...]
[...]
...
...
at 13,000 words, I think this is the longest puff piece I've ever read.
how nice of the general to let this dude from the Atlantic accompany him on this inspection tour.
Access journalism, or access reporting, refers to journalism (often in interview form) which prioritizes access—meaning media time with important, rich, famous, powerful or otherwise influential people in politics, culture, sports, and other areas—over journalistic objectivity and/or integrity.
we get a few details on Milley's early career:
side note: isn't it weird how that backstory gets left out of Black Hawk Down? Somalia is portrayed as war-torn and anarchic as if that's just the natural state of the world there.
damn, I just need Grenada and then I've got bingo.
but Milley's main motivation for giving this friendly reporter such access seems to have been repairing the damage to his reputation caused by Trump's Lafayette Square photo op:
he describes himself as having this road to Damascus moment, this sudden conversion in June 2020
but he was the Army chief of staff starting in 2015. he'd been living in DC and working with Trump administration officials for the last 4 years.
and several months earlier, he'd tried to talk Trump out of pardoning war criminals:
so I dunno, I have a bit of trouble believing his version of events that he was pure and innocent and completely taken by surprise and couldn't possibly have seen it coming that Trump duped him into a photo op.
we get some more of the anecdotes that are a dead giveaway that you're reading access journalism and not anything investigative or that views its subject with a critical eye:
and some extreme softball interview questions:
Feb 2021: Pentagon report warns of threat from white supremacists inside the military
a more critical journalist might have pressed him on this. instead, here's some more access journalism anecdotes:
I guess "journalism is a dying industry" hasn't affected the Atlantic too badly if they're able to fly their reporters to Korea, not to cover any Korea-related news, but as part of this guy's profile of an American general.
Yes, it was a rather long article for what it was. Lots could have been cut. I tried to quote the more interesting bits.
But what do you think happened with Lafayette Square? Do you think he intended to participate in Trump’s photo op and then changed his mind after it started? I think it’s quite plausible that he was unaware of what he walked into, pretty much as he described.
Great write up. Its like something out of https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Machine_(film) where a general is followed around by a journalist.
I know that as a military man (and a career one at that) Milley knows that he can't take a political stance while in his pinks and greens...
But "oh he was asking rhetorically" is such a fucking cop out. Why not just look at him and say "Posse Comitatus."? The Latin would leave his head spinning and he'd never understand you're signaling to everyone around that's an unlawful order? Just tell the interviewer "He gave me an unlawful order and therefore it was not followed." His interview is already going to be viewed as a political act by the insurrectionists in the government, might as well speak plainly.
I read it more as a kind of ‘delicately managing up’ maneuver. He (probably smartly) said absolutely nothing to the President so that it couldn’t be received as any kind of challenge to King Baby, and then after the fact called it a rhetorical question so as to further just deaden any possible perception of challenge to Trump. Doing so not just to save his job, but also because the next person in line to take it might not be as deft at avoiding President-created calamity.
I know it’s a puff piece- but frankly, we need every adult voice we can muster that reinforces respect for systems and government being functional we can get these days. All that ever gets reported are threats to it. Teaching people that there ARE people and institutions and policies that do work and are in place for reasons is important- especially when our schools are so bad at it.
That said, I thank that commenter above for all the added context. Well done sir.
It is literally a question. Interpreting a question as an order seems like a bad move.
A rhetorical question is one that doesn’t have to be answered. If he had actually answered the question then who knows where it would have gone. Gotten fired, maybe.
The reporter could have asked him to answer the question, though, and I’m sure gotten an explanation of Posse Comitatus.
I've been in a position to advise executive level on things, so I get what he's talking about, but when the top asks for something outside the scope of the current efforts you've got to do just that and advise them. He claims he did advise Trump but I take issue with calling his questions rhetorical. The question was not rhetorical. Had Milley told him they could shoot protesters, Trump would've ran with it. He never gave the order to shoot them by Milley's account but he did ask after it.
My main point is that Trump's question was not rhetorical because he's openly engaged in actions that show he's not above using violence against protestors (The Bible stunt, etc) and for Milley to claim it was rhetorical is a poor attempt at not appearing political while in uniform. Milley may be correct saying that Trump never actually issued and signed the orders to attack but a question like that isn't rhetorical given his actions.
I suspect Milley deliberately chose an interpretation that seemed most likely to work in the moment (in a lawyer-like way) and he's sticking to it.
From the outside it's easy to say that he should have confronted his crazy boss more, but that's unlikely to be seen as a positive in the military.