The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (camo uniform in the photo above) is essentially apologizing for going with Trump on his historic walk to St. John’s Church, suggesting that his presence in uniform “created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics”:
FOX NEWS – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley on Thursday expressed regret for accompanying President Trump during a photo-op last week at Lafayette Square amid protests, calling the decision “a mistake” – in the latest sign of friction between the White House and the military over the response to racial unrest.
Milley made the remarks during a remote video speech to graduates at National Defense University, advising young officers to “always maintain a keen sense of situational awareness.”
“As senior leaders, everything you do will be closely watched,” he said. “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 continued. “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.”
He added: “As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from, and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it.”
Thursday was the first time Milley addressed the visit to Lafayette Square since the incident earlier this month.
Milley’s comments come amid tensions between top Pentagon officials – as well as retired military figures – and the president over the handling of the protests and riots surrounding the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd in police custody last month.
So now both Esper and Milley are backing away from Trump’s historic walk as if it were something horrible. Geez. Trump walked over there to send a message to the rioters and looters that they wouldn’t be tolerated and to show solidarity with the victims of these riots. Granted his photo-op portion was a little odd, but the purpose of the walk was fine.
But the media pounced, as they always do, falsely claiming Lafayette Square was cleared so Trump could do a photo-op, which wasn’t true. And they have been dogging him for it ever since.
It really seems that AG Barr is the only high ranking official in the administration to actually have the president’s back, which is a shame.