[ad_1]
Specifically, on September 23, President Trump made officials “uneasy” by once again refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, regardless of who was elected. Two days later, he continued to “add fuel to the fire” by saying he was not sure the election was “transparent.”
Trump’s comments, plus he expressed his desire to invoke the Anti-Riot Act of 1807 to lead the military to quell protests against the assassination of George Floyd, prompting senior military officials and Defense Ministry leaders to be deeply concerned. . They promised to do everything possible to prevent the armed forces from interfering in the elections.
General Mark A. Milley, Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: “In the event of conflict over an election, by law, the courts and the Congress of the United States are required to resolve the conflict. Not the military. The United States armed forces have no role in this process. “
The United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Miley, and President Donald Trump. Photo: NY Times
However, this statement does not prevent an increasingly fierce debate within the military about its role in the event of an electoral conflict that sparks civil unrest.
On August 11, veterans John Nagl and Paul Yingling released an open letter to General Miley saying: “Over the next several months, you may have to choose between disobeying an illegal president. Or to betray a constitutional oath. If the Mr. Trump refuses to transfer power at the end of his term, the US military must use force and he must be the one to give the order. ”
Pentagon officials were quick to respond that this was absurd. According to them, the chairman of the United States’ Joint Chiefs of Staff never sent the SEALs or the navy to remove Trump from the White House. If necessary, the above tasks will be assigned to the United States Judicial Police or the Secret Service.
However, unidentified senior Pentagon officials admitted that they were talking to each other about what to do if Trump used the Anti-Rebellion Act and tried to bring troops to the streets as threatened when protests against racism and police violence broke out. At the time, both General Miley and Defense Secretary Mark Esper were opposed to this idea, so Trump jumped into the water.
These concerns are not unfounded. The Anti-Rebellion Law allows the president to send military forces to quell a conflict over the objection of the governors. Pentagon officials say many of Trump’s high-ranking generals could resign, starting with Miley, if troops are mobilized in the country during elections.
[ad_2]
