US Chief of Staff General Mark Milley, who will retire at the end of this month, said he will "take the necessary measures" to ensure the safety of himself and his family following the posts made by former US President Donald Trump.
Milley, who participated in the "60 Minutes" program on CBS News television channel, made statements about Trump's social media posts against him.
Stating that he has adequate security measures, Milley said, "I wish these comments were not made, but they were. I will take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of myself and my family."
Milley reminded that Trump accused him of "going behind his back" and emphasized that he has been "loyal and faithful" to the US Constitution for 44 years.
"My family and I have made great sacrifices for this country. Before them, my mother and father. These comments are as much against the institution of the military as they are against me." Milley argued that there was nothing inappropriate or treasonous in his phone calls with China during his tenure.
What happened?
On September 27, Trump criticized Milley's meeting with his Chinese counterpart without his knowledge in the last month of his presidency on the social media platform.
According to media reports, Trump stated that Milley "went behind his back" and informed China about the US President's thoughts, adding, "This is such a terrible act that in the past would have been punishable by death."
"The result of this treacherous act could have been war between China and the United States," Trump said, expressing his criticism of Milley.
In his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in September 2021, Lieutenant General Milley noted that he clearly told Chinese officials that Trump was not planning to attack China in the last weeks of his presidency.
On US relations with China, Milley said, "My mission at the time was to reduce tensions. My message was consistent: Stay calm, stay stable and de-escalate. We will not attack you."
