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Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Miley considered resigning during President Donald Trump’s final months in office. However, he decided to stay and “fight from the inside” against Trump, according to excerpts from a new book coming out.
Miley’s decision to resist the president from within we’re revealed in excerpts of “The Divider: Trump in The White House”, published by the New Yorker on Monday.
The book was written by New York Times journalist Peter Baker and New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser. It is set to be on shelves in September.
According to excerpts from the book, Miley decided to resist Trump after his response to the die spread of protests and riots following the death of George Floyd.
En-Volve reported:
On May 29, 2020, Trump was forced to take shelter in a bunker inside the White House as violent demonstrations took place around the White House. More than 60 U.S. Secret Service agents were injured responding to the riot. Two days later, the St. John’s Episcopal Church across Lafayette Square from the White House was damaged by arsonists.
In the days after the chaos outside the White House, and as destructive protests and riots continued, Trump considered invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 and using active military forces to respond to the riots.
Milley and other officials working with the Trump administration resisted the idea to activate U.S. military troops to deal with rioters. On the morning of June 1, as Trump discussed the idea with military and administration officials, he reportedly said “we look weak.”
When Milley and others rejected using the Insurrection Act, Trump reportedly responded, saying, “You are all losers. You are all fucking losers!”
Trump reportedly also said, “Can’t you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?”
Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender have also claimed that Trump made this statement.
Milley said he kept waffling on whether to resign or not.
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates told him, “Make them fire you. Don’t resign.”
Milley decided against resigning and reportedly told his staff, “Fuck that shit. I’ll just fight him.”
“If they want to court-martial me, or put me in prison, have at it,” Milley reportedly added to his staff. “But I will fight from the inside.”
After deciding to not resign, Milley allegedly came up with four goals for the remainder of his time in the Trump administration. First, prevent Trump from starting any foreign wars; second, prevent Trump from using the military to stay in power; third, maintain the military’s reputation; fourth, maintain his own reputation.
Milley continues to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Biden administration.
