Chairman of joint chiefs tells troops to 'uphold the Constitution' and says National Guard are under governors' orders in public rebuke to Donald Trump - as retired generals slam president and Jim Mattis compares him to NAZIS

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The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff put himself at odds with Donald Trump Thursday in a memo telling troops to 'defend the Constitution' and saying the National Guard was not under federal control - as retired generals including Jim Mattis denounced the president's handling of the George Floyd protests.

Army General Mark Milley said in a letter to the leaders of each branch of the military that U.S. armed forces will continue to protect Americans' right to 'freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,' as the president has called in troops to defend Washington, D.C.

'We all committed our lives to the idea that is America,' Milley hand-wrote in as an addition to the bottom of the letter. 'We will stay true to that and the American people.' 

The letter represented an extraordinary public statement from the most senior U.S. military officer and was clearly directed at the Commander-in-Chief.

Coming after the words of Mattis, and two other former chairmen of the joint chiefs, it suggested serious misgivings by the military about Trump himself.

Milley's attempt to distance himself from the president comes as the general was recently rebuked by retired generals after he marched out of the White House as part of Trump's entourage for a photo-op in front of St. John's Episcopal Church while dressed in his combat uniform.

Some asserted if he was going to participate in the stunt, he should have worn his service or greens uniform.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper defended Milley's uniform choice, saying it was 'appropriate,' after a series of former military leaders voiced anger at both men's conduct and warned they were politicizing the military. 

The most searing condemnation of Trump came from former Defense Secretary James Mattis, the four-star Marine general and Iraq hero, who issued his first ever open criticism of Trump in an opinion piece published in The Atlantic on Wednesday.

'Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people - does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,' Mattis said. Mattis also likened Trump's actions to the rhetoric used by Nazis – to 'divide and conquer' - saying he was the first president in his lifetime not to seek to unite Americans.

His lengthy condemnation of the president caused one Republican senator Lisa Murkowski to break ranks with Trump and say Mattis' statement was 'honest and necessary and overdue.'

When asked if she can still show support for the president, she said: 'I'm struggling with it.'

Despite the president insisting that a 'show of force' must be exhibited in Washington, D.C. to quell rioters and violent protesters, the scene was much more tame Tuesday and Wednesday night than previously, with more peaceful protests taking place across the nation. In D.C., local police said there were no arrests.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley issued a public rebuke of Donald Trump  in a Thursday memo where the told troops to 'uphold the Constitution' as the president called the military to defend Washington D.C. against George Floyd rioters

In a handwritten note at the bottom of the memo, Milley reminded military leaders: 'We all committed our lives to the idea that is America' after he defended protesters' right to assemble

Milley faced backlash from retired generals for marching out of the White House in his combat uniform rather than his service or greens uniform – meant for more formal settings like the White House or Capitol Hill

His letter came after General John Allen (left) and former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (right), both retired four-star Marine generals, denounced the president's decision to call in the U.S. Military to assist with rioters

Despite the president's steadily increasing demand for force to quell demonstrators, Wednesday night's protests across the country were widely peaceful, with few to no instances of violence, looting, rioting or arson, which riddled other days of protests

Retired Marine Corp four-star General John Allen lashed out at Trump in an op-ed Wednesday claiming his actions in the midst of violent nationwide riots over the death of George Floyd are 'shameful.'

Allen, who commanded the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan then was an envoy in the international effort against ISIS, insisted Trump's presidency could be the 'beginning of the end of American democracy.'

'The slide of the United States into illiberalism may well have begun on June 1, 2020,' Allen wrote in an op-ed published to ForeignPolicy.com. 'Remember the date. It may well signal the beginning of the end of the American experiment.'

The retired general is referencing the Monday, June 1 outing when Trump stepped outside the White House with an entourage of Secret Service, administration officials, aides and media, walked across Lafayette Park, which was clear of protesters minutes earlier by use of tear gas and rubber bullets, and arrived at St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo-op with his bible.

The stunt came in the midst of days-long peaceful and violent protests across the nation over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white cop in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day.

Milley asserted in the memo that only the National Guard, a reservist unit of the Army, is responding to the riots at the activation of governors – and not the federal government.

'As members of the Joint Force – comprised of all races, colors, and creeds – you embody the ideals of our Constitution,' Milley wrote in the letter the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard and Space Force and Commandants of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, as well as to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands.

Retired four-star Marine General John Allen (pictured with an Iraqi tribal leader in 2007) denounced Donald Trump's actions in the midst of nationwide unrest, claiming his presidency could be the 'beginning of the end of the American experiment' 

'Please remind all of your troops and leaders that we will uphold the values of our nation, and operate consistent with national laws and out own high standards of conduct at all times,' he concluded.

Trump's Senate ally Lindsey Graham accused Mattis Thursday morning of 'buying into' the 'liberal media' narrative.

'To General Mattis, I think you're missing something here, my friend,' the senator from South Carolina told Fox & Friends 'You're missing the fact that the liberal media has taken every event in the last three and a half years and laid it at the presidency.'

'I'm not saying he's blameless,' Graham continued in rare partial criticism of Trump, 'but I am saying you're buying into a narrative that I think is quite frankly unfair.' 

He conceded, however, that 'Mattis has the right to express himself because of his military service.

'General Mattis has the right to express himself because he's served the country over a long period of time put himself at risk for the nation,' Graham said. 'But the one thing I would tell General Mattis that from the time President Trump wakes up, to go to bed there's an effort to destroy his presidency.' 

He also called out Trump's Monday walk from the White House, across Lafayette Park to St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo-op with his bible, claiming: 'The slide of the United States into illiberalism may well have begun on June 1, 2020'

'[T]he president proclaimed himself the 'ally of peaceful protesters.' But, at that very moment, just a few hundred feet away across Lafayette Park, fully equipped riot police and troops violently, and without provocation, set upon the peaceful demonstrators there, manhandling and beating many of them, employing flash-bangs, riot-control agents, and pepper spray throughout,' Allen wrote

The scene in Washington, D.C. was filled with peaceful protests on Wednesday – a break from days prior

High five: Here a D.C. resident high-fives a three-year-old present at the protests as a police barricade blocks a street leading to the White House

In Atlanta, police knelt in the street with peaceful protesters

Peaceful demonstrators gathered to chant, march and hold signs calling for justice for black people near City Hall in Los Angeles

Thousands of noisy – but still peaceful – protesters also marched the streets of New York City to call for justice for George Floyd, a black man who was killed during an arrest by a white cop

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis broke his silence on Trump's leadership and revealed he is 'angry and appalled' at his handling of the George Floyd protests

Utah National Guard soldiers stand on a police line as demonstrators gathered to protest the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night

Members of the DC National Guard remained on guard outside the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday after keeping watch through the night despite an easing of tensions between demonstrators and law enforcement

A man yells at soldiers at sunrise outside the White House on Thursday morning. The protests in D.C. remained peaceful throughout Wednesday and Wednesday night

Members of the D.C. National Guard gear-up after a short rest from standing guard at the Lincoln Memorial Thursday on what will be the seventh day of protests in DC over the death of George Floyd. Demonstrations remained peaceful Wednesday

Hundreds of demonstrators stayed as close to the White House as they could get as the 11pm curfew approached and continued to chant until the early hours of Thursday morning 

A soldier keeps watch at the Lincoln Memorial as thousands of peaceful demonstrators were met with a huge military presence Wednesday following a week of tenses clashes in the capital

Allen, who has also spent his life in public service, expressed in his op-ed his opposition to the president's mobilization of the U.S. Military to ward off and quell rioters and condemned Trump's comparison of the violent protesters ravaging cities to 'domestic terrorists.' 

Mostly, however, the president of the Brookings Institute – often referred to as a liberal-centrist think tank – was disappointed in the use of force to clear the way for a presidential photo-op. 

'[T]he president proclaimed himself the 'ally of peaceful protesters.' But, at that very moment, just a few hundred feet away across Lafayette Park, fully equipped riot police and troops violently, and without provocation, set upon the peaceful demonstrators there, manhandling and beating many of them, employing flash-bangs, riot-control agents, and pepper spray throughout,' Allen wrote.

On Monday, law enforcement forced peaceful demonstrators from the park ahead of Trump's short visit to the church across Pennsylvania Avenue from the North Lawn of the White House.

They used tear gas and nonlethal rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.  

Senior defense officials told reporters the two were not aware that the Park Police and law enforcement had made a decision to clear the square or that Trump intended to visit the church.

They had been in Washington to coordinate with federal law enforcement officials but were diverted to the White House to brief Trump on military preparations, the officials said.

Administration officials privately acknowledged Monday's events did not do the administration any justice.

Even some Republican lawmakers who are typically in sync with the president said Trump went too far in using force to clear the way for his less than five-minute visit to the church.

On Tuesday, a senior White House official said the president wanted to make the aggressive action an example for the rest of the country.

Trump pushed back against Mattis' comments on Wednesday, claiming he is the 'world's most overrated general' after the Marine veteran denounced the president's leadership in the face of the nationwide protests.

Mattis spoke out for the first time publicly since his acrimonious December 2018 exit from the White House by blasting Trump as making a 'mockery of the Constitution' in a fiery statement shared Wednesday.

Although Mattis has alluded to criticism of his former boss in the past, he has never been this forthcoming with his disappointment in the president.

Trump was quick to fire back to fire back in a two-part tweet with some key false facts. 

'Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world's most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it,' Trump tweeted Wednesday evening.   

'His nickname was 'Chaos', which I didn't like, & changed to 'Mad Dog,' Trump added. 

While Trump claimed that he fired Mattis, the general had submitted his resignation after he disagreed with Trump's decision to pull US forces out of Syria.

Donald Trump was quick to fire back against his former Defense secretary, claiming he is the 'world's most overrated general' after the official published a scalding op-ed denouncing the president's leadership on Wednesday

His military call sign was 'Chaos' which stands for 'Colonel Has Another Outstanding Suggestion'. He was given his nickname 'Mad Dog', which Mattis reportedly does not like, years before Trump came into office.

'His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom 'brought home the bacon'. I didn't like his 'leadership' style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!' Trump added.  

Mattis' op-ed was his first time publicly castigating the president, condemning the flexing of military might against George Floyd protests, which he calls a legitimate response to demands for equal justice.  

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the president and criticized Mattis as ineffectual. 

'Former Secretary Mattis' 'article' is little more than a self-promotional stunt to appease the DC elite. President Donald Trump is the law and order President that has restored peace to our nation's streets. Mattis' small words pale in comparison to POTUS' strong action.'

In his statement Mattis likened Trump's tactics of seeking to 'divide' the nation to that of the Nazis. 

'Instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion reminded soldiers that 'The Nazi slogan for destroying us … was 'Divide and Conquer,' he writes. 'Our American answer is 'In Union there is Strength.' We must summon that unity to surmount this crisis - confident that we are better than our politics.' 

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany condemned Mattis' article, calling it 'a self-promotional stunt to appease the DC elite'

60 Minutes Correspondent John Dickerson said that he wrote a profile on Mattis 11 years ago, noting that Mattis' had the nickname 'Mad Dog' years before Trump was in office, and it was a nickname he disliked 

Law enforcement fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters gathered in Lafayette Park to disperse the crowd for the president's photo-op in front of the church, which was set on fire in Sunday riots outside the White House

His statement about Trump seeking to divide the nation immediately follows. 

'We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society,' he continues.

He pointedly takes on Trump's photo-op Monday, writing that he us 'angry and appalled' by the unfolding events. 

'We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. At the same time, we must remember Lincoln's 'better angels,' and listen to them, as we work to unite,' Mattis wrote.

He called for unity and calm. 'This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.' 

His blistering article comes as other former military officials, including former head of the joint chiefs of staff Admiral Mike Mullen, blasted Trump for seeking to 'politicize' the military. 

He also blasts a comment by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, whose job is already in jeopardy, for his comment calling for governors to 'dominate the battlespace' in U.S. cities.

'We must reject any thinking of our cities as a 'battlespace' that our uniformed military is called upon to 'dominate.' At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society,' he writes. 

'It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part.'

Mattis also joined Allen in denouncing the 'bizarre photo-up' that Trump ordered up, as federal police backed up by the National Guard cleared away peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park. 

'When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution,' writes Mattis. 'Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.'

Mattis indicated when he resigned his post that he felt an obligation to keep comments to himself. 'There is a period in which I owe my silence. It's not eternal. It's not going to be forever,' he said at the time.

While he was in office, Mattis stood out among other cabinet officials for failing to shower the president with over-the-top praise at public events.

Behind the scenes, there were clashes – and Mattis even told aides he would rather 'swallow acid' than allow Trump to throw a $50 million 'Victory Parade' in the nation's capital.  

Esper was fighting for his job Wednesday even as authorities seek to gain control of the nation's streets – as he contradicted President Donald Trump on use of a special military authority and the Army announced a sudden reversal on a plan to start withdrawing active duty troops from around Washington.

The day featured sudden turnarounds and contradicting explanations about the photo-op that both Esper and the president joined in on Monday, with no clear plan about how regular military, National Guard forces, local police, and outside forces are coalescing to attempt to maintain order. 

About 200 members of the Army's 82nd Airborne division were to have departed the D.C. region on Wednesday – only to have the order suddenly reversed after Esper paid a visit to the White House following a morning press conference where he tried to distance himself from the infamous photo-op at St. John's church Monday. 

The change followed Esper's White House meeting and internal discussions at the Pentagon, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the Associated Press in an on-record statement. 

It also came hours after a 10:00 a.m. order to draw down some of the 1,600 forces – including infantry members – who had been positioned outside Washington, D.C., and after the White House declined to say Trump had confidence in Esper, who succeeded 'acting' secretaries and who himself filled such a role after the departure of Mattis.

Esper told reporters Wednesday he was opposed to invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act to send the U.S. military to impose control of cities – even as the president talked tough on Twitter and ordered an infantry battalion to Washington, D.C.

It was a statement that caught the White House off guard at a time President Trump is brandishing his maximum authority – and could put Esper's job in jeopardy.

Esper made the public statement of opposition to the idea after the White House publicly floated it on Monday. 

The decision to maintain the force that had been flown into the region comes even as protests overnight Tuesday were calmer then they were the night of the Lafayette Park incident.

It came as it was revealed that Maryland and Virginia governors had refused to send their national groups to the nation's capital, which has a longstanding struggle over home-rule with federal authorities.

Trump loyalist Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would send 500 guard troops. 

Esper also sought to back away from the photo-op itself, saying that while he knew he would be going to the church, he thought he would be visiting troops. He ended up posing with Trump and officials including Attorney General Bill Barr, who the White House said ordered the action Monday morning, only to discover it hadn't occurred hours later.

'What I was not aware of was exactly where we were going when we arrived at the church and what the plans were once we got there,' Esper said. He also tried to walk-back a comment that referred to U.S. cities as 'battle-space.' 'In retrospect I would use different wording' he said of his conference call with Trump and governors,' he said.  

Just hours after he spoke at the Pentagon, Defense officials said some of the active duty military troops flown into the Washington region to deal with civil unrest were being sent home.

About 200 members of the 82nd Airborne were to depart the region Wednesday, officials told the Associated Press. They are among a group of 1,600 infantry and military police being held at basis in Maryland and Virginia outside Washington, after President Trump repeatedly urged use of military force to regain control of city streets across the country.

'I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,' said Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who said active duty forces should only be used for law enforcement in the homeland as a 'last resort'

On Tuesday evening, 700 soldiers dressed in riot gear and armed with bayonets arrived at military bases near Washington, and another 1,400 were prepared  to mobilize

Esper made his public comments while facing ratcheting political pressure. 'I say this not only as secretary of defense, but also as a former soldier and a former member of the National Guard,' Esper told reporters at a Pentagon press conference as he announced his position.

'The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire of situations,' he said.

'We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,' he added. 

Esper's public rebellion raised immediate questions inside the White House over how long he can survive.

 'As of right now secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper, and should the president lose faith we will all learn about that in the future,' white House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said when asked if Trump still has confidence in him. 

McEnany was asked if Esper had made his views on the Insurrection Act known to the president before his public statement, as well as whether Trump had confidence in him. 

'As of right now secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper,' said White House press secretary Keyleigh McEnany

'Not that I'm aware of in terms of expressing his opinion,' she responded. 'And I wouldn't get into the private conversations that went on here in the White House. And with regard to whether the president has confidence, I would say if he loses confidence in Secretary Esper I'm sure you all will be the first to know,' she said.  

McEnany referred to the Insurrection Act – which Esper argued publicly against – as a 'tool' the president could use.

'The president has the sole authority to invoke the Insurrection Act. It is definitely a tool within his power. This president has one singular aim, it is protecting america's streets. We cannot have burning churches,' she said, referencing the damage to St. John's on Sunday night. 

'The Insurrection Act is a tool available,' she said. 

Esper, a former member of the D.C. National Guard, spoke hours after the Pentagon announced the composition of active-duty forces being dispatched to Washington, D.C. - but just after he spoke, some of those federal troops were ordered home amid signs of mounting concern inside the senior military ranks at their involvement in the capital.

A total of 1,600 forces were moved to bases in the area as a 'prudent planning measure in response to ongoing support to civil authorities operations,' the Pentagon said.

'The Department of Defense moved multiple active duty Army units into the National Capitol Region as a The Secretary of Defense authorized the movement of an infantry battalion designated Task Force 504, assigned to the Army's Immediate Response Force based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,' it said in a statement.

His public statement comes despite a report by the New York Times that Esper favored use of the Act, as did Vice President Mike Pence. The paper reported that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley was against the idea, believing he had enough Guard troops in place to provide support. Attorney General Bill Barr, who reportedly authorized the clearing of the park, favored deferring to states' rights on the issue, the paper reported. 

Esper made the statement at a press conference where he also claimed he had no idea where he was going when Trump led members of his administration on a walk to St. John's Episcopal Church for a controversial photo shoot.

He also insisted he had 'no idea' that force would be used to clear out peaceful protesters ahead of the staged trip. 

The performance may not have gone over well at the White House. President Trump was 'not happy' with it, CNN reported – after Esper put distance between himself and the White House both on the photo-op and on the Insurrection Act.

Trump demanded Wednesday that police 'get tough' after a sixth night of nation-wide protests – but privately, the president is backing off his plan to send in federal troops to stifle rioters.

While President Trump launched a more than 35-tweet tirade Wednesday morning, in part claiming that the violent protesters are 'domestic terrorists,' he also abandoned his idea to dispatch the military after officials claimed local governments should take charge, the Associated Press reported.

Trump told members of his cabinet over the last week that he wants to send the military into American cities – a proposal that led to a heated yelling-match between those supporting the notion and those opposed.    

Despite his decision not to deploy the military, Trump continued to insist that 'The National Guard is ready!.' 

He has continuously urged governors to activate the National Guard in their states so cities destroyed by rioters could be policed by the Army reservist unit. 

Defense officials revealed that Trump considered using 'tanks' or other armored military vehicles to help restore order, and threatened to deploy active duty military across the country to quell the unrest. 

On Monday night, military helicopters also hovered over demonstrators in a tactic to disperse the crowds.

Two Pentagon officials said the president was the one who ordered military aircraft to fly above the capital as a 'show of force' against violent protesters. 

The District of Columbia's federal status gives the president outsized authority to act, allowing him to direct the deployment of the National Guard.

He authorized Attorney General William Barr to oversee a surge in the deployment of federal law enforcement officers, including the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency. 

Officials claim the president wanted to make Washington, D.C. an example of the 'show of force' other cities should implement to quell the violence 

Videos posted to Twitter showed demonstrators quaking beneath deafening gusts