Milley is stepping down from his post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the end of this week, but he’s not going quietly.
His latest feud with Trump has drawn broad attention after Trump said he should get the death penalty for calling his Chinese counterpart in the final days of his administration to assure Beijing that war was not imminent.
Trump’s comment has sparked a fierce backlash and a round of criticism against the former president.
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said there was a “legitimate fear” that Trump could seek vengeance against his enemies if he wins a second term in the White House.
“The president has also said that a second term would be about retribution, right?” Esper said on CNN. “So, I think these are all legitimate concerns.”
After the 2020 election, China was apparently concerned about a potential escalation with Trump. Esper contacted Chinese officials to assure them everything was OK, and he directed Milley to do the same.
Trump compared the move to treason. “This is an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!” he wrote in a post on social media.
The former president’s words appear to be encouraging his allies. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) on Monday called for Milley to be “hung” for allegedly delaying a National Guard response to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
While the Trump-Milley feud is not new, the former president’s comments invoking execution are drawing fresh pushback from critics.
MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough took the GOP to task for staying silent on the issue.
“Where are these Republicans, why aren’t they critical of Donald Trump for saying that about General Milley?” he asked.
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in a CNN interview said he agreed with Milley’s comment about Trump potentially jailing his enemies if reelected and said, if that were to be the case, it would be “reprehensible.”
Read a more detailed article publishing Wednesday morning on the Trump-Milley clash at TheHill.com.
