Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) seems to have joined the military coup against President Trump and applauded the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley for apologizing joining President Donald Trump’s walk to St. John’s church earlier in the month.
“I have nothing but deep admiration for and total confidence in General Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Graham wrote on Twitter. “I support his statement in both substance and spirit regarding the recent presidential visit to St. Johns.”
I have nothing but deep admiration for and total confidence in General Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
I support his statement in both substance and spirit regarding the recent presidential visit to St. Johns. https://t.co/dLAumOeq8s
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 11, 2020
“General Milley is a tremendous military leader who understands the long tradition of maintaining an apolitical, nonpartisan military,” the South Carolina Republican added.
On Thursday, Milley apologized and said he regretted walking with President Trump to the church for the photo of the President holding a bible.
“My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics,” Milley said in a pre-recorded speech to National Defense University graduates. “As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from, and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it.”
Both Milley and Defense Secretary Esper have tried to distance themselves from accompanying the President.
“I was not aware a photo op was happening,” Esper stated. “I do everything I can to stay apolitical.”
General Mark Milley apologizes for taking part in Trump’s Bible photo op outside the White House: “I should not have been there…It was a mistake.” pic.twitter.com/h8PIunEOCP
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) June 11, 2020
Milley also made sure to note that federal troops were never deployed on American streets.
