Military will not play any role in US elections: US Army General Mark Milley

As the US Presidential elections draw near, the rumours, controversies and safety concerns are also growing. The elections are scheduled for November 03 where the present President Donald Trump will contest against Joe Biden.

While some believed that the American military will be ready for any disputes, thecountry's most senior general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley has told the Congress that the military will not be a part of the November elections.

"The Constitution and laws of the US and the states establish procedures for carrying out elections, and for resolving disputes over the outcome of elections ... I do not see the US military as part of this process," Milley said in a letter released on Friday responding to questions from two members of the House Armed Services Committee.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

He also clarified that if any disputes are involved, the courts and Congress will be the decider of it. "In the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law US courts and the US Congress are required to resolve any disputes, not the US Military," he added.

"I believe deeply in the principle of an apolitical US military," he said.

The clarification was provided by Milley afterDemocratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey asked if military will be involved in the elections.

The rumour started when Trump's opponent, Joe Biden, in a local interview, laughed that the military might have to escort the President out of the White House if Trump refuses to leave the premises upon losing the elections.

"I promise you, I'm absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch," Biden said, referring to the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The statement came after Trump had said he might not publically accept the election results if it is not in his favour."I have to see, look, I have to see, I'm not just going to say yes, I'm not going to say no, and I didn't last time either," he had said in an interview.

Trump's statement was followed by an open-letter sent to Milley by two of the most-popular retired military officers,John Nagl and Paul Yingling, who had said, "If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the United States military must remove him by force, and you must give that order."

The rumour was also clarified by chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman, who had said,"We have a Constitution, and our Constitution, which all members of the military have sworn an oath to, provides no role for the US military as arbiter of political or election disputes."

"This issue appears to be born of unserious thought reflecting a fundamental lack of appreciation for the history of our democracy and the civilian-military relationship established under our Constitution," he added.