ATHENS—The Pentagon’s top military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, said he would mount a vigorous defense of two calls he placed to his Chinese counterpart in the tumultuous last days of the Trump administration, describing an effort to calm Beijing’s nerves and avert a military conflict.
“These are routine calls in order to discuss issues of the day, to reassure both allies and adversaries in this case, in order to ensure strategic stability,” Gen. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him on a military jet Friday. “And these are perfectly within the duties and responsibilities of the chairman.”