Sen. Kelly Defends Milley’s ‘Inappropriate’ Call To Chinese Officials

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., defended former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mark Milley for allegedly telling his Chinese counterpart he’d warn Beijing of a prospective U.S.-led attack on China by the Trump administration.

The moment came during Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine before the Senate Armed Services Committee. President Donald Trump nominated Caine in February to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff and fill the position of fired Chair Charles Q. Brown, a major proponent of so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” or DEI, in the military.

When given the chance to question Caine, Kelly referenced Milley and the Trump administration’s investigation into the retired Army general’s conduct while serving as Trump’s Joint Chiefs of Staff chair. As Fox News previously reported, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yanked Milley’s personal security detail and clearance earlier this year, and directed the Defense Department’s new inspector general to “conduct a review board to determine if enough evidence exists for Gen. Milley to be stripped of a star in retirement based on his actions to ‘undermine the chain of command’ during President Donald Trump’s first term.”

In 2021, it was reported that while serving under Trump, Milley told his counterpart in the Chinese military that the U.S. had no intention of attacking China, and that he would “call [Beijing] ahead of time” if Trump were to launch such an offensive. A Milley spokesman released a statement that same year confirming the general’s talks with the Chinese. The statement did not specifically deny the reports of Milley allegedly informing his Beijing associate that he would warn China ahead of an impending U.S. attack.

When discussing the Trump Pentagon’s ongoing inquiry into Milley over the reported incident, Kelly, a Navy veteran, stunningly applauded the retired general for his alleged decision to notify his Chinese counterpart of any prospective U.S. offensive.

“[Milley’s] now facing an investigation by this administration and possible demotion. This is allegedly because he, in coordination with the then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, made phone calls to Chinese military officials to reassure them that the United States was not gonna launch an attack, preventing unnecessary conflict,” Kelly said. “Gen. Milley did this out of a deep respect and commitment to the Constitution of the United States, in my view.”

[READ: Growing Horde Of GOP Lawmakers Calls For Milley To Be Investigated And Fired]

The Arizona Democrat’s remarks didn’t seem to sit well with Sen. Jim Banks. When given the opportunity to question Caine, the Indiana Republican took time to blast Milley for “model[ing] inappropriate and political behavior to a whole generation of officers.”

“It’s why I fully support President Trump’s decision to relieve Gen. C.Q. Brown and the unconventional decision to go beyond the usual four-star choices and pick an outsider like you for this most important role,” Banks said.

Throughout his testimony, Caine spoke of his military career and the biggest threats facing the American homeland. He also noted how the country’s national defense “requires urgent action and reform across the board.”

“We can never forget that our number one job is to create peace through overwhelming strength, and if need be, fight and win our nation’s wars,” Caine said.