Geoff Bennett:
The new defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, was on FOX earlier this evening, and he accused General Milley of breaking the chain of command while serving under President Trump in the first term.
What impact might that assertion, that accusation have on the inspector general investigation? And how might that impact Hegseth’s recommendation to Donald Trump once this investigation ends, whenever it ends?
Rear Adm. James McPherson (Ret).: You have asked the right questions.
First of all, I don’t exactly understand how it impacted the chain of command. General Milley, as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was not in an operational chain of command. The chairman’s duties by law are to advise the secretary and the president on military matters. He doesn’t command any forces whatsoever.
So I don’t understand how that impacted the chain of command. Perhaps the secretary misspoke, or the secretary doesn’t understand the chain of command.
I think it sends a terrible message. Not only does it send the message that retribution towards General Milley for what he said or is perceived to have said, but I think the message there is to others who are currently serving on active duty in senior positions that, if you don’t toe the line, if you don’t line up with what the president and this administration wants, you run the risk of this same retribution that General Milley is now the subject of.
Any good leader wants to surround themselves and empower those who work for them to be in disagreement, to offer alternatives, to challenge assumptions. That’s not what this administration seems to be signaling to its senior military. What it seems to be signaling is, you better get in line or we’re going to come after you.
