Political | Process

Psaki also dismissed calls for Biden to fire Milley over the accusations. Critics have condemned Milley for treason-like behavior.

• Minutes before Psaki walked into the briefing room, Joint Staff spokesman Col. Dave Butler released a statement saying Milley “regularly communicates with Chiefs of Defense across the world, including with China and Russia.”

• “These conversations remain vital to improving mutual understanding of U.S. national security interests, reducing tensions, providing clarity and avoiding unintended consequences or conflict,” Butler wrote.

• He added, “All calls from the Chairman to his counterparts, including those reported, are staffed, coordinated, and communicated with the Department of Defense and the interagency.”

• Milley’s phone calls to Li were detailed in excerpts of Watergate journalist Bob Woodward and Washington Post reporter Robert Costa’s forthcoming book, Peril, in which they write about growing concerns regarding Trump’s “mental decline” after last year’s election.

SOURCE: WASHINGGTONEXAMINER