WASHINGTON 

Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley appeared Friday to take a dig at ex-President Donald Trump, saying the US armed forces do not take a pledge to a "wannabe dictator." 

"We are unique among the world's militaries. We don't take an oath to a country we don't take an oath to a tribe. We don't take an oath to a religion. We don't take an oath to a king, or queen or to a tyrant or a dictator. We don't take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We don't take an oath to an individual," Milley said at a ceremony honoring his service.

"The United States military will always be true to those that came before us. We will never, under any circumstances, turn our back on our duty," he added.

The comments come after Trump appeared to threaten Milley on his Truth Social platform, writing last Friday that Milley committed treason, "an act
so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!" and claiming the general is a "woke train wreck."

"A war between China and the United States could have been the result of this treasonous act. To be continued!!!" Trump added ominously as he mounts his second Oval Office bid.

The comments appear to be in reference to calls Milley made to a Chinese general in 2021 as part of his officials duties in which he sought to assure Beijing that Washington had no intention of launching military action during Trump's final days in office.

Milley has defended the calls as part of his duties to "deconflict military actions" between the world's superpowers, and said after Trump made the comments on Truth Social that he will take "appropriate measures" to ensure his and his family's safety.

"I’ve got adequate safety precautions," Milley said during an interview with 60 Minutes.