Time Bleeding Out: Milley Probe Stalls as DOD IG Vacancy Drags on—National Security Can’t Wait
Guest post
General Mark Milley has admitted to making secret phone calls to his Chinese military counterpart during the chaotic final months of the Trump administration. Rather than focusing solely on protecting America and following the direct commands of the President as Commander-in-Chief, Milley took it upon himself to act on his own concerns about how China might perceive the situation. He was more concerned with reassuring Chinese General Li Zuocheng that the U.S. would not launch a surprise attack, promising to alert China in advance of any military action—even as this unauthorized diplomacy directly undermined the lawful command structure.
These calls were made without explicit presidential authorization, fundamentally violating the constitutional principle of civilian control over the entire U.S. military. Civilian oversight ensures that military leaders do not act as independent political actors or override the directives of elected civilian leadership.
By prioritizing his fears of China’s reaction over his duty to follow lawful orders, Milley undermined U.S. strategic deterrence, blurred the lines between military authority and political power, eroded trust in government cohesion, and compromised national security. This dangerous precedent of military insubordination threatens the constitutional chain of command and harms civil-military relations essential to democracy.
In January 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked Milley’s security clearance and personal security detail, emphasizing the severity of his misconduct. He also ordered an investigation by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), the Pentagon’s independent watchdog responsible for probing such serious issues.
That investigation is now stalled due to a leadership vacuum at the DOD OIG following the previous Inspector General’s firing earlier in 2025. While Steven A. Stebbins serves as Acting Inspector General, the absence of permanent leadership is unacceptable. Qualified professionals must urgently fill the role to prevent the investigation from bleeding out the clock and deny the public the transparency and accountability they deserve.
The investigation’s complexity—due to classified information, senior leadership involvement, and the need for interagency coordination—must not be used as an excuse for delay. Milley’s secret calls strike at the heart of U.S. civil-military relations and constitutional order. The ongoing Inspector General probe is critical to restoring the rule of law and civilian oversight that protect the nation.
The public deserves swift, decisive action to hold accountable those who put their own concerns ahead of the nation’s constitutional chain of command.
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