Trump says Milley-China story may be bid to divert Afghanistan attention — but

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Trump doubts report of Milley calling Chinese general but says it’s ‘treason’ if true
Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed skepticism regarding the report that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley went behind his back to call Chinese officials but said such an action was treasonous if true.

Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward and national political reporter Robert Costa alleged in their upcoming book “Peril” that Milley made two secret phone calls to Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army, his Chinese counterpart.

Milley reportedly made the calls before the 2020 presidential election on Oct. 30, 2020, and two days after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, on Jan. 8, 2021, and assured Zuocheng of the stability of the American government. He also allegedly assured the Chinese general that he would contact him regarding any imminent attack from the U.S. in the waning days of Trump’s presidency.

“So, first of all, if it is actually true, which is hard to believe, that he would have called China and done these things and was willing to advise them of an attack or in advance of an attack, that’s treason,” Trump told host Sean Spicer on NewsmaxTV’s “Spicer & Co.” 

“I’ve had so many calls today saying that’s treason, number one,” Trump continued. Acknowledging he was tough on China regarding trade and COVID-19, he went on to describe as “totally ridiculous” the idea that he would order an attack on China.

In a statement released shortly after the interview, Trump called on Milley to step aside, floating a theory that Milley came up with the story himself and leaked it to Woodward and Costa, whom he described as writers of “fiction, not fact.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
– Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman says Gen. Milley ‘must resign’ if his secret calls with China occurred
– Mark Milley’s alleged China call ‘violated the law’, retired colonel says; ‘He has no statutory authority’
– Rubio calls on Biden to fire Milley after book claims general sought to undermine Trump
– Tucker Carlson: Mark Milley committed treason, and others were implicated
– Hannity: Milley should be ‘tried for treason’ if bombshell report proves to be true

California Gov. Gavin Newsom survives recall election
California Gov. Gavin Newsom will keep his job steering the nation’s most populous state.

The Associated Press projected that a majority of Californians voted against removing Newsom from office in Tuesday’s recall election of the embattled first-term Democratic governor.

Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco who was overwhelmingly elected governor in 2018 in the heavily blue state, was facing a recall drive sparked last year mainly over accusations that he mishandled his state’s response to the coronavirus, the worst pandemic to strike the globe in a century.

Ballots were mailed last month to California’s estimated 22 million registered voters and needed to be postmarked or handed in by the time the polls closed, at 8 p.m. PT. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
– Newsom recall defense gets business…