Gen. Mark Milley, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defended the U.S. military from right-wing accusations that it has gone too woke. (See the video below.)
No, not at all, Milley told CNN s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday. And Im not sure what that word truly means, the top U.S. military official added.
Milley described the U.S. military as exceptionally strong and powerful, with its readiness rates better now than theyve been in years.
This military is a lot of things, but woke, its not, he said. So, I take exception to that. I think that people say those things for reasons that are their own reasons, but its not true. Its not accurate. Its not to say there are some things out there that could fit into that category but its not a broad-brush description of the U.S. military as it exists today.
Conservatives have railed against the militarys efforts to counter extremism and its teaching of what they falsely call critical race theory. Milley has previously slammed as offensive the claims promoted by former President Donald Trump , Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson , among others.
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Also in the CNN interview, Milley opened up about his mistake in participating in a June 2020 photo-op with then-President Donald Trump amid anti-racism protests.
The U.S. military should be apolitical, he said, recalling how he walked away from the event as soon as he realized what was going on. There was no place for a uniform to be in a political event, period, he added. We dont want our military involved in domestic politics.
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Milley must leave his post when his statutory term ends on Oct. 1. His replacement is currently unknown , thanks to Sen. Tommy Tubervilles (R-Ala.) singlehanded, monthslong blockade of military nominations and promotions in the Senate to protest the Pentagons policy allowing service members to take time off to seek abortion care in other states.
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