In an impassioned and at times furious speech, departing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley defiantly proclaimed that the US military does not swear an oath to a “wannabe dictator.”
It was a bitter and pointed swipe that appeared unmistakably targeted at former President Donald Trump, who has in recent days accused Milley of “treason” and suggested that he should be put to death for his conduct surrounding Trump’s bid in 2021 to remain in office despite losing the presidential election.
“We are unique among the world’s militaries,” Milley said. “We don’t take an oath to a country, we don’t take an oath to a tribe, we don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen, or a tyrant or a dictator.”
That’s the type of person Trump thought Mad Dog Mattis was, because the nickname isn’t indicative to who Mattis is, Trump was put off with Mattis’s “warrior philosopher” schtick and Mattis in turn was put off when he realized Trump’s fascist strongman persona wasn’t an act.
As a former Marine who respects Mattis, I was deeply disappointed that he couldn’t see through Trump’s bullshit earlier on.
I’m sure he could tell. I just think he thought he could help, but eventually resigned when he realized that he was less effective than he expected he would be, and refused to be complicit in the administration.