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Mattis feared that Trump would order a surprise nuclear strike, the book says


Mattis feared that Trump would order a surprise nuclear strike, the book says

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis was so worried that former President Trump would order a nuclear strike on North Korea that he slept overnight in gym clothes in case of an emergency call and spent private time at the National Cathedral praying that war would be avoided according to revelations in a new book by journalist Bob Woodward.

The book – which Trump has already publicly criticized – also details death threats from Trump supporters against former Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Mark Milley after he publicly clashed with the commander in chief.

Milley also expressed concerns that Trump could recall him to active duty to try him for treason if he is re-elected to office – a plan Woodward writes Trump also advocated for during his first term in the White House had considered other critical former military leaders.

“No one has ever been as dangerous to this country as Donald Trump,” Milley Woodward said in an interview for the book, titled “War in 2023,” a copy of which was obtained by Military Times ahead of its publication this week.

The volume documents the end of Trump's presidency and the final four years of Joe Biden's term as commander in chief. It's a critical stance toward both men, but especially toward Trump, suggesting that many military leaders are worried about his possible return to the Oval Office.

Steven Cheung, Trump's communications director, said in a statement to the Associated Press that none of the stories in Woodward's books were true and called the publication “the work of a truly insane and deranged man suffering from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.” “”

Woodward said in the book that Milley paid to install bulletproof glass and blast-proof curtains in his home because of threats from Trump supporters, even though he has been under 24-hour federal guard since his military retirement.

He also told Woodward about several behind-the-scenes incidents in which Trump called for the deployment of U.S. forces on American soil, potentially violating federal law.

This weekend, during an interview with Fox News, Trump suggested he might deploy the National Guard and active-duty armed forces against “radical left-wing lunatics” who he claims are working to undermine stability in America. He has also suggested using the military in response to immigration problems.

Mattis served as defense secretary from 2017 to 2019, one of five men to hold the post during Trump's four years in the White House. Woodward writes that Mattis viewed Trump as unpredictable and feared he might order drastic military action without fully considering the consequences.

Woodward has previously written four books about the Trump presidency, to which the former president received mostly negative reactions.

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. Since 2004, he has covered Washington, DC, focusing on military personnel and veterans policy. His work has received numerous awards, including a 2009 Polk Award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism Award and the VFW News Media Award.

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