Despite the fact that Donald Trump has not yet returned to the White House, conflicts and discussions have already broken out in the US Department of Defense about how to act for the department's team when this happens.
Points of attention
- Trump can use the military to enforce law and order and clean up the US national security system.
- The Pentagon is actively preparing for possible illegal orders from Trump and is considering the possible consequences of not complying with them.
- It is predicted that Trump and his team will try to avoid conflicts with the US Department of Defense.
The Pentagon does not know what to expect from Trump
As you know, recently the new US president said that he will be ready to use the armed forces to ensure law and order inside the country and mass deportations.
Moreover, Donald Trump added that he intends to staff the federal government with people loyal to him, as well as "purge corrupt individuals" in the US national security system.
During his last term as president, Trump had a difficult relationship with most of the senior military leadership, including retired General Mark Milley, who, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took steps to limit Trump's ability to use nuclear weapons.
It's no secret that Donald Trump has publicly humiliated American military generals many times, calling them "weak" and "ineffective leaders."
Against this background, the Pentagon is trying to prepare for the return of a Republican to the White House.
We are all preparing and planning for the worst-case scenario, but the reality is that we don't yet know how it will play out, said one of the insiders in the department.
The Pentagon does not know how to respond to illegal orders
The US Defense Ministry is already trying to agree on how to act if Donald Trump issues an illegal order.
The law obliges the troops not to obey illegal orders. But the question is what will happen next — will we see the resignation of the top military leadership? Will they see this as a rejection of their people? — said one of the anonymous sources in the department.
So far, journalists have not been able to find out who the new US president will appoint as the head of the Pentagon.
Still, officials predict that Trump and his team will try to avoid the "hostile" relationship with the military that he had during his previous term.
