The Trump campaign is also using the top U.S. general in a political ad, evidently without his consent


A day after the Trump campaign released an ad that selectively edited a clip of Dr. Anthony Fauci so it seemed the nation's top infectious disease expert was praising the president's coronavirus response, the Trump campaign posted an online ad that uses an image of Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As with Fauci, the campaign did not seek or receive approval from Milley to place him in the ad, Politico reports, citing a defense official.
The U.S. military has strict rules against uniformed service members participating in political campaigns, and Milley, the top U.S. military commander, has recently been stressing that the military plays no role in domestic politics. "We, the U.S. military, we are sworn to obey the lawful orders of our civilian leadership," Milley told NPR in a rare interview Sunday. And if there's a contested presidential election this year, "it'll be handled appropriately by the courts and by the U.S. Congress. There's no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of a U.S. election. Zero. There is no role there."
Fauci asked the Trump campaign Monday to take down the ad featuring his deceptively edited words. Milley doesn't speak in the new ad, but it's "a disturbing violation of civil-military norms by the president's campaign," Jim Golby, a former Pentagon official now at the University of Texas at Austin, told Politico. "There is simply no reason for a sitting chairman of the Joint Chiefs to be included in an advertisement paid for by the campaign," he said. "Milley should denounce his inclusion in the ad, but the president never should have put him in this situation."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump’s budget bill will increase the deficit. Does it matter?
Today's Big Question Analysts worry a 'tipping point' is coming
-
Film reviews: The Phoenician Scheme, Bring Her Back, and Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Feature A despised mogul seeks a fresh triumph, orphaned siblings land with a nightmare foster mother, and a Jane fan finds herself in a love triangle
-
Music reviews: Tune-Yards and PinkPantheress
Feature "Better Dreaming" and "Fancy That"
-
Dutch government falls over immigration policy
speed read The government collapsed after anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders quit the right-wing coalition
-
South Korea elects liberal Lee as president
speed read Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, was elected president following months of political instability in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
-
Nationalist wins tight Polish presidential election
speed read Karol Nawrocki beat Rafal Trzaskowski in Poland's presidential runoff election
-
Ukraine hits Russia's bomber fleet in stealth drone attack
speed read The operation, which destroyed dozens of warplanes, is the 'biggest blow of the war against Moscow's long-range bomber fleet'
-
Starving Gazans overrun US-backed food aid hub
speed read Israeli troops fired warning shots at the Palestinians
-
Israel's Western allies pull back amid Gaza escalation
speed read Britain and the EU are reconsidering allegiance with Israel as the Gaza siege continues
-
Trump drops ceasefire demand after Putin call
speed read Following a phone call with Russia's president, Trump backed off an earlier demand that Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine
-
Pro-EU centrist beats Trump acolyte in Romania vote
speed read The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, defeated hard-right nationalist George Simion in the race for Romania's presidency