Pentagon strips Gen Mark Milley of US security detail and clearance

BBC News- The Pentagon has revoked the security detail and clearance for Gen Mark Milley, a former US general who has been critical of US President Donald Trump.Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the move as one of his first acts in office, asking officials to investigate Gen Milley's "conduct" and review his military grade.

Gen Milley previously served as the top US general during Trump's first term but later criticised his former boss, and was quoted calling him a "fascist". Since returning to office, Trump has revoked security protections for a handful of former officials with whom he has clashed, including former top health official Anthony Fauci.

Trump previously accused Gen Milley of treason for phone calls he held with his Chinese counterpart during the final weeks of his first Trump presidency, including in the wake of a riot at the US Capitol building by Trump's supporters in 2021.

Gen Milley reportedly used one of the calls to reassure China that the US would not launch a nuclear strike. On social media the president described those calls as "an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!".

Gen Milley, however, testified the calls were coordinated with other defence secretaries.

It was in Bob Woodward's book War, published last year, that Gen Milley was quoted calling Trump "fascist to the core" and "the most dangerous person to this country".