The top U.S. official fears Trump will order a Chinese strike

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WASHINGTON Frightened by Donald Trump’s actions in his last week as president, the top U.S. military official has twice assured his Chinese counterpart that the two countries will not go to war, according to an upcoming book.

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mark Milley told Gen. Li Zuocheng of the Peoples Liberation Army that the United States will not strike. A call took place on October 30, 2020, four days before the election that defeated Trump. The second call was on January 8, 2021, just two days after the uprising in the U.S. Capitol by supporters of the outgoing chief executive.

Milley went so far as to promise Li that he would warn his counterpart in the event of an attack in the U.S., according to the Peril book, written by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.

General Li, I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything will be okay, Milley told him on the first call, according to the book. We will not attack or perform any kinetic operation against you.

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If attacked, I will call you in advance. It won’t be a surprise, ”Milley said.

The selections from the book, which is set to be released next week, were first reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday.

The second call was intended to allay the Chinese’s fears about the events of January 6. But the book reported that Li was not easily assuaged, even though Milley promised him, We are 100 percent stable. All is well. But democracy can be flawed at times.

Milley believes the president suffered mental decline after the election, agreeing with the view shared by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a phone call on Jan. 8, according to officials.

Pelosi had earlier said he spoke to Milley that day about available precautions to prevent Trump from initiating military action or ordering a nuclear launch, and he told colleagues that he was given unspecified assurances with long-standing precautions.

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Milley, according to the book, called on the Admiral in charge of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the military unit responsible for Asia and the Pacific region, and recommended the postponement of upcoming military exercises. He also asked senior officials to swear that Milley should have been with him if Trump had issued an order to launch a nuclear weapon, according to the book.

Milley was nominated by Trump in 2018 and later angered the president when he expressed regret over participating in a June 2020 photo shoot with Trump after federal law enforcement cleared a park near the White House of peaceful protesters so that Trump can stand in a nearby ruined church. .

Requests for comment from Milley were not immediately returned. Milley’s second warning to Beijing came after Trump fired Defense Secretary Mike Esper and filled several top positions with interim managers loyal to him.

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The book also offers new insights into Trump’s efforts to hold on to power despite the election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump refused to concede and offered the false claim that the election was rigged. He repeatedly pressured his vice president, Mike Pence, to refuse to confirm election results to the Capitol on Jan. 6, the event that was later interrupted by mobs.

Pence, the book’s author, called Dan Quayle, a former vice president and fellow Indiana Republican, to see if there was any way he could accept Trump’s request. Quayle said unconditionally.

Mike, you have no flexibility here. Nothing. Zero. Forget to Put it aside, Quayle said, according to the book.

Pence finally agreed. He challenged Trump to confirm Joe Biden’s victory.

Trump was not satisfied.

I don’t want to be your friend that if you don’t do it, Trump replied, according to the book, later told his vice president, Youve betrayed us. I made you. You are nothing.

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Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro contributed to the reporting.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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