Former President Donald Trump has accused General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of treason following revelations that Milley assured his Chinese counterpart the US would not launch a surprise attack. In an interview with Newsmax, Trump said the alleged calls were 'treasonous' if true.
The claims come from excerpts of the book 'Peril' by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, which detail Milley's calls to General Li Zuocheng in late 2020 and early 2021. Milley reportedly sought to reassure China that the US was not planning strikes, amid fears Trump might act unpredictably after losing the election.
Trump dismissed the allegations as a distraction from the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, calling it 'the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to our country.' He also questioned the motive for any US attack on China, saying, 'What's the reason exactly, other than that they screw a certain trade?'
Senator Marco Rubio has called for Milley's immediate dismissal, accusing him of undermining the commander-in-chief. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman described the actions as 'treason' and warned of an 'authoritarian government' run by unelected officials.
Milley, appointed by Trump in 2018, has faced growing scrutiny over his role in the final days of the Trump administration. The Pentagon has declined to comment on the book's claims.
