General Milley says he was certain of Trump’s plan to not ‘attack the Chinese’

General Mark Milley, a top military official of the United States, said at a Congressional meeting on Tuesday that he was aware that former President Donald Trump would not carry out an attack against China. General Milley added that it was his job to provide reassurance to the Chinese authorities.

In his defensive statements on Tuesday, Milley said the contact with the Chinese was about him responding to “concerning intelligence” about a possible attack from the side of the United States.

“I know, I am certain, that President Trump did not intend to attack the Chinese… And it was my directed responsibility by the secretary to convey that intent to the Chinese,” General Milley said in a testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, a meeting which was also attended by United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

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He added, “My task at that time was to de-escalate. My message again was consistent: Stay calm, steady, and de-escalate. We are not going to attack you”, according to reports from Associated Press.

General Milley’s acts have been under a scanner since details of the incident were revealed in a report from the Washington Post citing a book called ‘Peril’. The United States top Army official contacted General Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army and assured them that America would not attack China.

General Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was denounced by former President Trump and several other lawmakers. Trump tagged him as “a complete nutjob”  and said that he was not notified about the calls being made to China. 

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United States lawmakers also called on President Joe Biden to fire General Milley, according to reports from Associated Press.

Milley also addressed a call he received from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He said Pelosi “called me to inquire about the president’s ability to launch nuclear weapons. I sought to assure her that nuclear launch is governed by a very specific and deliberate process.”