Gen. Mark Milley speaks at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on July 11, 2019. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

By Missy Ryan and
Dan Lamothe
President Trump’s nominee to become the next top U.S. military officer promised lawmakers on Thursday that, if confirmed, he would not be cowed by the White House as he provides advice on national security matters. 
Gen. Mark Milley, who serves as Army chief of staff, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee at a moment when Trump’s moves to pull the Pentagon into his border wall plans, Independence Day festivities and other initiatives have generated concerns about the erosion of the military’s nonpartisan tradition.
If confirmed, Milley would replace Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the fall. 
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) asked Milley if he would challenge the president, who since taking office has questioned decades-old defense alliances and adopted positions that have caused discomfort within the military’s highest ranks. 
In response to the general’s vow to remain independent, King said: “I believe that. But I think it’s very important to emphasize that the Oval Office is an intimidating place, and the president of the United States is the most powerful leader in the free world. To be willing to say, ‘Mr. President, you’re wrong about this’ . . . if it’s something that she or he doesn’t want to hear is just, there is no more important responsibility in your career.” 
Milley replied that Dunford and “most of us” have seen a lot of combat.
“Arlington is full of our comrades, and we understand absolutely full well the hazards of our chosen profession,” Milley said, referring to the national cemetery a few miles away in Virginia where many U.S. service members are buried. 
“We know what this is about, and we will not be intimidated into making stupid decisions,” he said. “We will give our best military advice and not keep the consequences to ourselves.”
Milley, a gruff infantry officer educated at Princeton, became the Army’s top officer in August 2015 after serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. His nomination by Trump in December, which came surprisingly early, defied the recommendation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who had recommended the Air Force’s top officer, Gen. David L. Goldfein.
It’s not clear how Trump, who appears to have gained confidence in his instincts on foreign policy as his presidency has gone on, would take to being challenged by Milley. Mattis, who during his initial period as Pentagon chief steered defense policy back toward traditional positions, resigned in December over Trump’s treatment of key allies. 
Milley would take on new responsibilities for an institution experiencing intense leadership upheaval.
This week, officials unveiled a plan for installing the Defense Department’s third acting secretary this year, as federal personnel rules require acting defense secretary Mark Esper — who has been serving as Milley’s civilian counterpart leading the Army since 2017 — to step aside while the Armed Services Committee considers whether to confirm him for the top Pentagon job. . . . .

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