The Department of Defense said on Thursday that its officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper, were not present during President Donald Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president.
The Pentagon had already cleared the aid, so a Pentagon officer on the call would have wondered why the aid had not been sent, which would have raised some uncomfortable questions for the administration. It may be that military officials aren’t on calls like this normally, but this case you would think someone would be there since Ukraine is having some issues with Russia.
It’s interesting that the Pentagon put this out too, it sounds like they want to make it clear they had no part it whatever shenanigans that Trump and his people pulled.
I would think that someone in the Pentagon would have received the readout of the call in the normal course of events and the issue brought to someone close to the secretary. Well, we know the normal procedure was not followed and I am not surprised they were caught not knowing. Was Trump not able to find a Pompeo or Barr for defense. Perhaps he had one in that guy who was not approved a while back.
How long until there is evidence to the contrary?
I would say tomorrow if it follows the usual pattern. It does seem that each pronouncement brings a liar, liar fact drop by the next day. However, if that was the case, wouldn’t the Secretary of DOD be out on The Great Scavenger Hunt with Bill and Mike?
Such a civilized and refined way of saying that they had NO involvement, and that this was entirely an end run around them.
Have to say, out of all of the agencies, the Defense Department has been the best one at keeping its hands as clean as possible.
Heck, even when dragged into the border and wall shit, they made sure that they were there in support roles only, haven’t accomplished much other than string some razor wire and make estimates about replacing and expanding the wall (and finding, of course, that the projects are way too expensive and they don’t have the money, so, oh, well, Mr. President, we tried…).
“The secretary has an incredibly busy schedule and is working on a number of different issues at any one time,” the spokesman added. “He doesn’t spend most of his days sitting in on other people’s phone calls.”
Burn. Looks like the DoD is having none of this cover up shit, sounds like they are cooperating with the request for docs.
I thought that line was funny too. The secretary is too busy to listen to the President’s calls.
If it was anybody but Trump I wouldn’t believe it.
The total isolation of Donnie continues. It’s not going to end well…
It won’t end well for him and his admin but it will end very well for democracy loving Americans,in other words us. 
Yep.
DoD to CIC: “Respectfully, sir, we are not constitutionally able to comply with that directive.”
Transl: “Fuck you, Corporal Bone-Spurs.”
U.S. DoD only has what, over half a century of experience in dealing with various wacky notions from the White House … the current level of batshittery is certainly a high (or low, depending on what you’re measuring) water mark, but the same skill set applies.
Well, duh. I don’t think Trump would have pulled this shit in front of someone like that.
ETA: Fair correction from someone I was just talking to…Pence’s adviser who WAS in on the call is a former General, so he’s sortof someone like that, altho not active duty and subject to all that goes with it.
Ummmmm… the War Department, which later evolved into the Department of Defense, dates back to 1789…
But larger point remains quite valid. They’ve been dealing with fucking idiots in charge for a little while…
They might be a little sore about having some of their budget sent to build a wall in a desert. Still better than having a woman as Commander in Chief though.
snort. Except that they just shit-canned everything, by deciding it would cost $18 billion, and since they were only ordered to come up with what, $3 billion, they can’t afford to do anything, so back to the drawing board…
Nothing like bureaucracy to either work in your favor or gum everything up, despite everyone earnestly nodding their heads and saying, “Yes, Mr. President, we’ll get it done!”
But the generals knew about it and didn’t say a thing? That’s condoning the unConstitutional actions and being accessories before or after depending when they found out. Why is everyone so afraid of calling out this lawless president? It’s time to show a little courage, maybe?
Lets make a pool, how long before some evidence or at least Trump’s or Giuliani Blabbing that shows that the guys at the Pentagon are full of shit and knew all about this?
You are talking about the generals? Courage? Integrity? Honor? None of the Generals and admirals that shamefully have served Trump have display a speck of any of those. And Pompeo is not a General but a West Pointer. Generals and Priest are nothing but self-serving parasites.