Military leaders remind troops to uphold oath to Constitution as Trump threatens 'domination' of protesters
by Caitlin Yilek
| June 04, 2020 02:36 PM
Tensions between President Trump and U.S. military leaders have escalated over the handling of protests, culminating in officials reminding troops about their oath to the Constitution.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, and National Guard chief Joseph Lengyel have sent out guidance to take that oath seriously as protests swell across the country in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes while Floyd pleaded for his life.
Trump has threatened military “domination†to quell the large-scale protests. Law enforcement’s use of force to remove largely peaceful protesters away from the White House on Tuesday, after which Trump walked across Lafayette Park to take photos in front of a church that had been set on fire during the unrest, has been widely condemned as crossing a line.
Milley, who walked with Trump from the White House to St. John’s Episcopal Church, sent a memo Tuesday to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminding that protesters have the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly under the Constitution.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/military-leaders-remind-troops-to-uphold-oath-to-constitution-as-trump-threatens-domination-of-protesters
