White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was bombarded by at least six reporters wanting to know if President Joe Biden has confidence in General Mark Milley, after news about a soon-to-be published book claims the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the end of the Trump presidency contacted his counterpart in China to promise the U.S. would not wage war against that country.
Donald Trump accused Gen. Milley of committing “treason” in light of the reports, and Republicans in Congress and others have demanded his resignation.
Psaki effectively nuked all the attacks on Chairman Milley, repeatedly assuring White House reporters that President Biden has “complete confidence” in his Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman.
But she also made certain reporters understood that while Milley was not acting beyond his role, Donald Trump was president and was “fomenting an insurrection.”
“This president, this current president, who follows the Constitution, who’s not fomenting an insurrection, who follows the rule of law, has complete confidence in Chairman Milley and him continuing to serve in his role.”
She also smacked down the question from one reporter who asked if Milley could continue serving given how Republicans are attacking him.
“I don’t think,” Psaki said, that President Biden “is looking for the guidance of members of Congress who stood by while” Donald Trump, “the leader of their party, fomented an insurrection and many of them were silent.”
Psaki was forced to remind another reporter that it’s a “good thing,” that Milley took the actions he did, “because obviously we want to prevent nuclear war.”
She also called Milley “a man of honor,” and “a man who thev president is confident in his leadership, his patriotism, his fidelity to the Constitution.”