US Army Chief of Staff General Milley has reportedly been accused in a new book of making secret calls to Chinese officials to warn them about potential attacks by former President Donald Trump in his final days in office. The book, “Peril,” authored by Washington Post editor Bob Woodward and national political reporter Robert Costa, alleges that Gen. Milley made two phone calls to Gen. Li Zuocheng, the Army chief of the People’s Liberation Army.
The alleged phone calls took place on Oct. 30, 2020, prior to the 2020 presidential election, and on Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. According to the book, Gen. Milley contacted Gen. Li after reviewing intelligence that suggested Chinese officials believed the United States was planning an attack on China amid military exercises in the South China Sea.
During the first call, the book claims that Gen. Milley assured Gen. Li that the American government was stable and that there wouldn’t be any attacks or kinetic operations against China. Additionally, he reportedly promised to warn Gen. Li in advance if the U.S. were to consider an attack, emphasizing their long-term acquaintanceship.
The book also alleges that Gen. Milley made a second call to reassure Gen. Li that the U.S. would not make any advances or attack China, stating, “We are 100% steady. Everything’s fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes.”
According to the book, Gen. Milley did not inform Trump about the phone calls, believing that the former president’s mental state had declined following the election. He also reportedly had a conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Jan. 8, in which they discussed potential precautions to prevent Trump from engaging in military action.
During the same time frame, Gen. Milley allegedly made a phone call to the admiral in charge of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, suggesting the postponement of additional military exercises. The book also mentioned that Gen. Milley requested senior officers to swear an “oath” that he should be involved should Trump give an order to launch nuclear weapons during his final days in office.
