Pentagon Policy Adviser Resigns, Saying Esper ‘Violated’ Oath Of Office

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 05:  U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller (R) arrives at a members-only closed briefing on Syria for the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives September 5, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a resolution for a strike in Syria. The full Senate is expected to vote on it soon.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 05: U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller (R) arrives at a members-only closed briefing on Syria for the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives September 5, 2013 on... WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 05: U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller (R) arrives at a members-only closed briefing on Syria for the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives September 5, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a resolution for a strike in Syria. The full Senate is expected to vote on it soon. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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A Pentagon policy adviser, James Miller, resigned from the Defense Advisory Board on Tuesday in a clear rebuke of Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s role in the violent dispersal of anti-racism protesters from Lafayette Square for a presidential photo op on Monday. 

In a resignation letter obtained by the Washington Post, Miller denounced Esper “visibly” supporting the excessive crowd-control measures, calling it a violation of the nation’s top defense official’s oath of office. 

Miller, who served as the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for policy during the Obama administration before joining the advisory board, said that he had again swore an oath of office for his now-former position, which bore him responsible to support and defend the Constitution. 

“You recited that same oath on July 23, 2019, when you were sworn in as Secretary of Defense. On Monday, June 1, 2020, I believe that you violated that oath,” Miller wrote in the letter addressed to Esper, adding that he feared Esper may be asked to exploit U.S. military power by wielding it in ways that “further undermine the Constitution and harm Americans.” 

As a “concerned citizen,” Miller also cited comments Esper made on a conference call with the President and governors on Monday about dominating “the battlespace” of American streets. 

Esper told NBC on Tuesday that he thought the trip out of the White House was to assess some damage and to talk to troops.

“I didn’t know where I was going,” Esper told NBC,” I wanted to see how much damage actually happened.” That very phrase may prove to haunt Americans for years to come in a moment that sends both literal and figurative smoke of a sharp turn by the President and his supporters toward aggressive and militaristic tactics to suppress the expression of free speech. 

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Notable Replies

  1. See? It can be done.

    Not to worry, Mr. Miller, President Biden will be glad to have you back.

  2. Capt Procurement has violated several oaths he has sworn.

    Paging Adam Smith and Jackie Spear…someone needs to testify, October would be nice.

  3. Every time somebody resigns in protest they clear the way for another Trump loyalist to be installed in the newly vacated position.

  4. Could it be Eddie Gallagher’s getting a new job?

  5. “You recited that same oath on July 23, 2019, when you were sworn in as Secretary of Defense. On Monday, June 1, 2020, I believe that you violated that oath,” Miller wrote

    That´s it in a nutshell. Esper should resign, or be impeached.

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