James Miller, who served as the undersecretary of Defense for policy from 2012 to 2014, resigned from his position on the Pentagon’s science board Tuesday, accusing Secretary of Defense Mark Esper of betraying his oath of office by backing President Trump on the forceable removal of peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C., the previous day.
“Anyone who takes the oath of office must decide where he or she will draw the line: What are the things that they will refuse to do? Secretary Esper, you have served honorably for many years, in active and reserve military duty, as Secretary of the Army, and now as Secretary of Defense,” Miller wrote in a letter published in The Washington Post. “You must have thought long and hard about where that line should be drawn. I must now ask: If last night’s blatant violations do not cross the line for you, what will?”
“Unfortunately, it appears there may be few if any lines that President Trump is not willing to cross, so you will probably be faced with this terrible question again in the coming days. You may be asked to take, or to direct the men and women serving in the U.S. military to take, actions that further undermine the Constitution and harm Americans,” he added.
Miller urged Esper to “consider your future actions and your future words,” citing his recent call for governors to “dominate the battlespace” in quelling the unrest, which Miller wrote “sends an extremely dangerous signal.”
“I hope this letter of resignation will encourage you to again contemplate the obligations you undertook in your oath of office, as well as your obligations to the men and women in our military and other Americans whose lives may be at stake,” Miller concluded, saying he was making his letter public in case other senior officials wondered about the reason for his resignation.
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Ex-Pentagon official resigns from Defense Science Board, says Defense chief betrayed oath https://t.co/N7VufQCvSg
— The Hill (@thehill) June 3, 2020
Grateful for principled people in government. #PrinciplesFirst https://t.co/m9P55H4gJ3
— Jonia Broderick (@teamjonia2020) June 3, 2020
In all seriousness that Esper is trying to explain why he went along with that spectacle is actually a good sign. It means the US military and other institutions are making it clear to him he screwed up. And it’s good if that matters more to Esper than risking Trump’s anger.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) June 3, 2020
This photo by @MarthaRaddatz at the Lincoln Memorial is deeply disturbing. pic.twitter.com/4cUgxQKh2p
— Eli Clifton (@EliClifton) June 2, 2020
wow. Jim Miller resigns from Defense Science Board. " You may not have been able to stop President Trump from directing this appalling use of force, but you could have chosen to oppose it. Instead, you visibly supported it." https://t.co/L0Iv9pjMBY
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) June 2, 2020
Whoa.
"Dear Sec Esper: When I joined the Board, I again swore an oath of office, one familiar to you….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." https://t.co/U89Rrmx5r8
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 3, 2020
“It sickened me yesterday to see security personnel—including members of the National Guard—forcibly and violently clear a path through Lafayette Square to accommodate the president's visit outside St. John's Church.”
-Admiral Mike Mullenhttps://t.co/EAbwcwnF5k— Phil Klay (@PhilKlay) June 2, 2020
Protests at the Lincoln Memorial: May 9, 1970 and June 2, 2020 pic.twitter.com/nb3O573W2d
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) June 3, 2020
My God https://t.co/fbJEez6VRg
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 3, 2020
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