Top general apologizes for appearing with Trump in combat uniform

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

America's top general apologized for appearing in combat fatigues with President Donald Trump after the forceful dispersal of protesters outside the White House last week, saying the move was a "mistake."

Gen. Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said that he was "outraged" by the killing of George Floyd and added that the protests it sparked spoke to "centuries of injustice toward African Americans."

"As senior leaders, everything you do will be closely watched. And I am not immune. As many of you saw, the result of the photograph of me at Lafayette Square last week. That sparked a national debate about the role of the military in civil society," Milley, said in a pre-recorded speech to a group of graduates from the National Defense University released on Thursday.

"I should not have been there. 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," he added.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/11/politics/milley-trump-appearance-mistake/index.html

[Mike 03]

1. CNN is leading with this right now

Wonder how trump will respond?

[Thomas Hurt]

2. pshaw! you were only making a poltical appearance with someone who wants to be a dictator

in uniform, giving people the impression the entire military is loyal to him personally.

How could that be a bad thing....(smh)

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Too fucking late, Gen. Milley......

By his stunt, Milley politicized the US Military to be TRUMP'S Military. To do his bidding when called to quell protests that are protected under the US Constitution.

This will surely increase morale and recruitment.

[madaboutharry]

4. I would like for him to explain what caused him to participate in the first place.

What is going on that no one, NO ONE, is able to stand up to Trump in the moment?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Esper stood up to tRump and so did Joint Chief. Esper moved troops out of DC area

... and the Joint Chief signalled that the military wasn't going to participate in putting down protests.

Esper initially ordered them out, reversed after tRump shouted in WH, then reversed again finally ordering them out.

[usaf-vet]

43. Yes!, but Trump got his photo-op. The general should understand who he is dealing with... A CON MAN!

Last edited Thu Jun 11, 2020, 04:37 PM - Edit history (1)

The general got CON and that picture will never go away.

Every time we as veterans take issue with Trump's misuse of the military they will counter with photos like Milley "marching" with Trump.

Let's see what the GENERALS say and do when Trump tries yet again to have a parade for him to play tough man "war president".

They should say no F**king way and get fired if that's what Trump does.

Don't ask young military enlistees to go into dangerous situations that could easily cost them their lives if you as a general aren't willing to take the risk of being fired.

Update: This Statement was made by General Milley let's hope it sticks.

Link to tweet

[Bernardo de La Paz]

45. +1. . . nt

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Yes.

[sop]

5. The military is standing up to this corrupt, petty, tin-pot dictator.

Trump's response will be predictably unhinged.

[dalton99a]

6. "Terrible disgrace. He will be replaced by a very good general. I have many very good generals"

[Eliot Rosewater]

10. Yeah, putin will step in now and tell the traitor what to do, find loyal generals

who will start killing your citizens.

[yellowcanine]

7. Gonna cause some butt hurt for Bunkerboy.

Too little too late of course on the general's part but worth it for its butt chafing potential.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. For someone with such strong convictions, he sure was tone deaf at the time

political messaging for the cause

[duforsure]

11. Esper should back the general now

If he's got any balls , he will.

[marie999]

12. I take it from his apology

that he was not under orders to attend. I don't know if Thump asked him to go. If not, then he should not have gone. If so, being asked to do something by your commanding officer is a command.

[FailureToCommunicate]

16. Welcome to DU!

Yes, those would be interesting details to hear from the General.

[Paladin]

13. I love how trump has driven away the military.

It gives me hope that we might actually vote him out of office this November, without a "Seven Days In May" scenario developing.

[soothsayer]

15. Oh, he didn't think they were going to inspect a bathroom?

Like the other military dude?

[Iliyah]

17. General Miley was dressed for combat . . .

he knew what he was doing as well as Esper, and Treason Barr.

The USA Military is suppose to be non-partisan.

[larwdem]

20. yes

he knew what he was doing

[PunkinPi]

18. Here's the clip...

Link to tweet

General Mark Milley apologizes.

Spanky is gonna be BIG MAD.

[sop]

22. MSNBC is reporting this was not "cleared" by the White House.

[PunkinPi]

23. I wouldn't expect it would have been. nt

[Scarsdale]

36. tRump got his photo op.

He could care less whether the top brass agrees with him. Why can't these people find their spies BEFORE the damage is done?

[Leghorn21]

19. Bunkerboi will NOT stand for this public display of regret from "his" top general. Hell, he almost

fired Esper last week, and now THIS insubordination??

I tells ya, it is MAJOR for the GENERAL to display a bit of humility

Now if only that Mnuchin motherfucker would pipe up (yeah, I know, never happen)

[sop]

21. Trump has been "set straight" by Milley before in public.

General Milley stated he was "not certain" where or how the president learned that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died “whimpering and crying." The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the US’ most senior military officer, told reporters “I don’t know what the source of that was," practically calling trump a liar in public. Trump never forgets a slight.

General Milley reportedly had huge "shouting match" with Trump over sending in troops to clear protesters from America's cities. Milley won that battle, and Trump was again publicly humiliated. There's a lot more to this that's not being reported now.

I'd guess Trump likely threatened Milley. Milley got tired of his bullshit and decided to preemptively respond. Knowing Trump, resignations will follow, then vicious tweets. This should get very interesting.

[bullwinkle428]

24. "Always easier to ask for forgiveness after the fact, than ask

for permission."

[Happy Hoosier]

25. I can hear Trump's head exploding from here. NT

[lark]

26. Proving my point yet again.

In the moment, when it really mattered, he followed commands and didn't do the right thing. That is what the military does, it follows orders. They might later on regret it, but when it's real and counts, they follow orders by and large. Now I'm sure some of the troops will just melt away and not kill us, but the people at the top will do what assmouth CIC tells them.

[Maribelle]

27. Too many 'after the facts' are going

obviously attempting to distance themselves from Trump.

The reason for all of this falling on one's own sword for their actions? Yes it's all because - - Biden will be the next president.

[Ligyron]

46. Good point.

I'd not thought of that.

[PaulRevere08]

28. This article tells how Milley wound up wearing fatigues. Still bad optics however.

[link:https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/06/07/a-u-turn-a-rush-to-see-trump-a-day-of-tension-and-surprise/|

With the president’s demands in mind, and hoping they could stall his move to use federal troops, Esper and Milley moved swiftly to try to get governors to send as many National Guard troops from their states as possible to supplement the roughly 1,300 District of Columbia National Guard members and a hodgepodge of Park Police, Secret Service, and other federal law enforcement officers dealing with protesters.

Because of the District of Columbia’s special status and its dizzying mix of jurisdictions, the FBI field office had been selected to serve as a command post to coordinate the movements and functions of various security forces. Attorney General William Barr was in charge. That’s why Esper was headed there from the Pentagon on Monday afternoon when he got the call to go see Trump again.
Milley had gone to the command center, also. And figuring he had seen the last of the White House for the day, he made a decision he later regretted — changing from his dress uniform, which is standard for a White House visit, to his battle fatigues, everyday wear at the Pentagon and when mixing with troops. Milley figured he would have a long night, including time with troops on the street.

Another surprise was in store for Esper and Milley when they reached the White House. After meetings, Trump went to the Rose Garden, where he noted Americans’ revulsion at Floyd’s death and declared himself the “president of law and order.”
After Trump finished his remarks in the Rose Garden he gathered aides and officials, including Esper and Milley, for a walk across Lafayette Park to St. John’s Church. The president held up a Bible to pose for photographers.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

42. In other words, they got conned.

This was planned by Trump and his people such as Ivanka.

We can be guaranteed the generals won't trust him ever again.........

[ashredux]

29. It is never too late to admit a mistake.....his words will help

[llashram]

30. doesn't wash

Last edited Thu Jun 11, 2020, 01:35 PM - Edit history (1)

He as I see it and as a veteran who grew up in the military under the tutelage of an Army officer see that Miley as a top military officer, does not have critical thinking skill because he was there, wilfully and openly siding with the fascist racist calling himself potus. And the trump rally on Juneteenth? This is why trump picked Tulsa for his Nuremberg rally precisely because of this historical fact

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre

If trump will glorify racist violence like this, what can be expected of him the closer we get to election time and he is clearly losing. He will call for something like this to happen.

[Ligyron]

47. What happens after the election before Biden can take over could be even worse.

He may actually try to behave himself before the election hoping more moderates will think he's learned his lesson and is mellowing. Because his cult is all in no matter what he does.

[keithbvadu2]

31. It was a great supporting role to be with Trump as gov't force was used to remove a priest

It was a great supporting role to be with Trump as gov't force was used to remove a priest and follower from their church.

[Dios Mio]

33. Too late. You acquired his stench.

[lsewpershad]

34. Pity

You did not think about it before you appeared there.

[Lonestarblue]

35. Trump's sheer stupidity makes me wonder how he ever managed an election campaign.

His total inability to focus on anything but himself makes me wonder who was the brains behind his campaign. It certainly wasn’t Junior, and Brad Parscale seems not that far above Junior in brain cells. Jared isn’t that bright a bulb either. I know Cambridge Analytica was involved, perhaps more than we knew.

[Scarsdale]

37. Bannon, Miller and a few others under the

direction of Putin. Once the rubles started flowing, the gop jumped onboard.

[TheFourthMind]

38. "It's better to play dumb than to ask for permission." - from White House letterhead. nt

[Ligyron]

48. Now THAT is a keeper.

[riversedge]

39. Somewhat late, but glad to see the apology.

[Enoki33]

40. Guess he is not one of "his fine generals".

[KY_EnviroGuy]

41. More on this from Military.com....

including some news on measures they propose to help reduce racism in the military....

Milley Says He Was Wrong to Accompany Trump on Church Walk
11 Jun 2020
The Associated Press | By Robert Burns (via Military.com)

Link: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/06/11/milley-says-he-was-wrong-accompany-trump-church-walk.html

(snips)

WASHINGTON — Army Gen. Mark Milley, the nation's top military officer, said Thursday he was wrong to have accompanied President Donald Trump on a walk to a church through Lafayette Square, where he was photographed in his combat uniform with the presidential entourage.

The statement by the Joint Chiefs chairman risked the wrath of a president sensitive to anything hinting of criticism of events he has staged. Trump's June 1 walk through the park to pose with a Bible at a church came after authorities used pepper spray and flash bangs to clear the park and streets of largely peaceful protesters. Milley said his presence and the photographs compromised his commitment to a military divorced from politics.
+++
He said all senior military leaders must be aware that their words and actions will be closely watched. “And I am not immune," he said, noting the photograph of him at Lafayette Square. “That sparked a national debate about the role of the military in civil society.” He expressed regret at having been there and said the lesson to be taken from that moment is that all in uniform are not just soldiers but also citizens.

“We must hold dear the principle of an apolitical military that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our republic,” he said. “It takes time and work and effort, but it may be the most important thing each and every of us does every single day.”

Let's see if he can get that concept through to ALL our military personnel........

[LudwigPastorius]

44. I am afraid that from now on you will be known as the "Photo Op General".

Why didn't you respectfully tell Trump to go fuck himself, Sir?

As far as your credibility goes, now that there is an instance in which you agreed to participate in political propaganda, how can the American people believe that you, and by extension, those you command, would do the right thing in the instance of yet another Constitutional crisis brought on by Trump?

[Ligyron]

49. I suppose some would rather he voiced total support for anything Herr Cheeto ordered.

"We'll use machine guns next time if that rabble doesn't behave and ever goes against our fearless leader again". Orders for National Guard troops to fix bayonets follow.