2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)
From Wikipedia:
Christopher Charles Miller (born October 15, 1965)[1] is the acting United States Secretary of Defense and the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Prior to serving in civilian leadership at the Department of Defense, Miller was a Green Beret, commanding 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a defense contractor.
Miller was initially the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a role to which he was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on August 6, 2020.[2][3][4] He was named Acting Secretary of Defense by President Donald Trump on November 9, 2020, following Trump's firing of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.[5][6][7][8]
Acting Secretary of Defense[edit]
On November 9, 2020, Miller was appointed as Acting Secretary of Defense, following the termination of Mark Esper.[4][25] Miller's first overseas trip occurred in the third week of November when he visited multiple military units in the Middle East and Africa to include a three-hour stopover in Mogadishu. Miller said that in addition to meeting senior military and foreign officials during the trip, he wanted to visit troops and thank them for their service on the Thanksgiving holiday.[26]
In December 2020, it was reported that Miller had ordered the Pentagon to postpone 40 meetings the incoming Joe Biden administration.[27][28]
Christopher Charles Miller (born October 15, 1965)[1] is the acting United States Secretary of Defense and the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Prior to serving in civilian leadership at the Department of Defense, Miller was a Green Beret, commanding 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a defense contractor.
Miller was initially the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a role to which he was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on August 6, 2020.[2][3][4] He was named Acting Secretary of Defense by President Donald Trump on November 9, 2020, following Trump's firing of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.[5][6][7][8]
Acting Secretary of Defense[edit]
On November 9, 2020, Miller was appointed as Acting Secretary of Defense, following the termination of Mark Esper.[4][25] Miller's first overseas trip occurred in the third week of November when he visited multiple military units in the Middle East and Africa to include a three-hour stopover in Mogadishu. Miller said that in addition to meeting senior military and foreign officials during the trip, he wanted to visit troops and thank them for their service on the Thanksgiving holiday.[26]
In December 2020, it was reported that Miller had ordered the Pentagon to postpone 40 meetings the incoming Joe Biden administration.[27][28]
Pentagon chief announces Iraq, Afghanistan troop reductions | ABC News
Nov 18, 2020
NEW: Acting Defense Sec. Chris Miller announces reductions in troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan by January 15, 2021. "This is consistent with our established plans and strategic objectives...and does not equate to a change in U.S. policy or objectives."
Nov 18, 2020
NEW: Acting Defense Sec. Chris Miller announces reductions in troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan by January 15, 2021. "This is consistent with our established plans and strategic objectives...and does not equate to a change in U.S. policy or objectives."
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.
Scoop: Pentagon halts Biden transition briefings
Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered a Pentagon-wide halt to cooperation with the transition of President-elect Biden, shocking officials across the Defense Department, senior administration officials tell Axios.
Dec. 18 - Biden transition director Yohannes Abraham contradicted the Pentagon's official response to this story on Friday afternoon, telling reporters, "Let me be clear: there was no mutually agreed upon holiday break."
Why it matters: Miller's move, which stunned officials throughout the Pentagon, was the biggest eruption yet of animus and mistrust toward the Biden team from the top level of the Trump administration.
Scoop: Pentagon halts Biden transition briefings
Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered a Pentagon-wide halt to cooperation with the transition of President-elect Biden, shocking officials across the Defense Department, senior administration officials tell Axios.
Dec. 18 - Biden transition director Yohannes Abraham contradicted the Pentagon's official response to this story on Friday afternoon, telling reporters, "Let me be clear: there was no mutually agreed upon holiday break."
- "In fact, we think it’s important that briefings and other engagements continue during this period as there’s no time to spare, and that’s particularly true in the aftermath of ascertainment delay," Abraham continued, referring to the Trump administration's delay in recognizing Biden as president-elect.
- Miller had said in a statement following the publication of this story: "At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview. ... After the mutually-agreed upon holiday, which begins tomorrow, we will continue with the transition and rescheduled meetings from today."
Why it matters: Miller's move, which stunned officials throughout the Pentagon, was the biggest eruption yet of animus and mistrust toward the Biden team from the top level of the Trump administration.
- Fury at the Biden team among senior Pentagon officials escalated after the Washington Post published a story on Wednesday night revealing how much money would be saved if Biden halted construction of Trump's border wall.
- Trump officials blame the leak on the Biden transition team (Though, it should be noted, they have no evidence of this, and both reporters on the byline cover the Trump administration and have historically been prolific beneficiaries of leaks.)
- Then on Thursday night, Miller — who was appointed Nov. 9, when Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper right after the election — ordered officials throughout the building to cancel scheduled transition meetings.
- "We had fewer than two dozen remaining meetings on the schedule today and next week," the official said, adding that "the DoD staff working the meetings were overwhelmed by the number of meetings."
- "These same senior leaders needed to do their day jobs and were being consumed by transition activities. ... With the holidays we are taking a knee for two weeks. We are still committed to a productive transition."
Nicolas Maduro (2nd R) speaks with Joe Biden (C) in 2015. © REUTERS
Biden ignores calls from Venezuela's self-styled president Guaido, eyes talks with Maduro – reports
Dec. 19 - The Biden administration has reportedly been refusing to talk to Juan Guaido, the man the US considers to be Venezuela’s legitimate president, and may drop the demand for President Nicolas Maduro to step down from power.
The incoming Democratic government in the US will take a somewhat new approach to Venezuela, a nation that the Trump administration designated as part of a Latin American “troika of tyranny” and pounded with relentless sanctions. According to Bloomberg, Joe Biden is willing to negotiate with President Maduro and is not setting his resignation as a precondition, unlike Trump.
The Biden administration will offer sanctions relief in exchange for “free and fair elections” and other concessions, the report said, adding that the US will seek assistance from foreign backers of Venezuela, including Russia, China, Iran and Cuba. continue to read
Biden ignores calls from Venezuela's self-styled president Guaido, eyes talks with Maduro – reports
Dec. 19 - The Biden administration has reportedly been refusing to talk to Juan Guaido, the man the US considers to be Venezuela’s legitimate president, and may drop the demand for President Nicolas Maduro to step down from power.
The incoming Democratic government in the US will take a somewhat new approach to Venezuela, a nation that the Trump administration designated as part of a Latin American “troika of tyranny” and pounded with relentless sanctions. According to Bloomberg, Joe Biden is willing to negotiate with President Maduro and is not setting his resignation as a precondition, unlike Trump.
The Biden administration will offer sanctions relief in exchange for “free and fair elections” and other concessions, the report said, adding that the US will seek assistance from foreign backers of Venezuela, including Russia, China, Iran and Cuba. continue to read
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