Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “The Beat” that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was doing his duty by taking steps to not follow an illegal order in the final days of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Lieu was discussing reports on Bob Woodward and Robert Costa’s upcoming book claim Milley took steps to prevent Trump from launching nuclear weapons and called his counterpart in China.
Guest-host Alicia Menendez asked, “Representative Lieu, your views of Milley’s actions and what it says about the state of our democracy that General Milley ever found this action necessary?”
Lieu said, “I previously served in active duty as a JAG. What General Milley was referring to was a rogue nuclear launch. That would be an illegal order. Military members do not carry out legal orders. General Milley absolutely did the right thing by trying to prevent anybody from carrying out illegal orders.”
He added, “At the same time, the fate of the entire world should not be dependent on one general. That’s why I have introduced legislation for years with Senator Markey that would require authorization before the president of the United States can initiate an unprovoked nuclear first strike.”
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