WATCH: Jen Psaki Defends Gen. Milley, Slams Republicans Who ‘Stood By’ While Trump Fomented Insurrection
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended General Mark Milley, and slammed both former President Donald Trump and current Republicans in Congress over the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
At Wednesday’s daily briefing, The Associated Press’ Jonathan Lemire opened things up by asking Psaki about a brand new statement from the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defending Milley’s actions in the closing days of the Trump administration, as reported in Bob Woodward’s book. Milley is alleged to have made calls to reassure world leaders that no nuclear attack would be launched, and to have taken “secret action” to protect against a launch by Trump.
Lemire asked Psaki, “Does the president feel these calls were appropriate? Does he have confidence in the General? And some Republican senators have called for General Milley to be dismissed. Is he going to keep his job?”
Psaki replied that she didn’t want to speak about “anonymous unconfirmed reports about conversations with limited context,” but did add that President Joe Biden “has complete confidence in [Milley’s] leadership, his patriotism and his fidelity to our Constitution.”
She went on to note that “The outgoing president of the United States, during this period of time, fomented unrest leading to an insurrection and an attack on our nation’s Capitol on January 6th, which you all have covered extensively, of course, one of the darkest days in our nation’s history.”
“Beyond reports in this book, there’s been widespread reporting and commentary from members of his own cabinet, the former president’s cabinet, I should say, including high ranking national security officials, questioning the former president’s stability, his behavior, and his suitability to oversee the national security of the United States,” Psaki said.
Later in the briefing, on follow-up, Psaki added that “it’s the obligation of every chairman of the Joint Chiefs to follow constitutional orders to prevent unlawful military action. That’s what the president believes. But it’s also important to understand the context of when this reporting was happening during and the fact that the former president was fomenting an insurrection.”
And when asked about Republicans demanding Milley be removed, Psaki said, “I don’t think the president is looking for the guidance of members of Congress who stood by while the president of the United States and the leader of their party fomented an insurrection, and many of them were silent.”
Watch above via C-SPAN.
