Let the Generals Speak? Retired Officer Dissent and the June 2020 George Floyd Protests

June 2020 was a remarkable month in U.S. civil-military relations. President Donald Trump sought to use active-duty forces to confront Americans protesting racial injustice in the United States. As he put it in a June 1 call with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the nation’s governors, Trump wanted the latter to “dominate the streets,” potentially with military forces. His supporters echoed the call, with Sen. Tom Cotton urging the president in a controversial op-ed to “send in the troops.”In response, an array of former military leaders spoke out against deploying regular military forces to the streets, sparking the most intense … Continue reading Let the Generals Speak? Retired Officer Dissent and the June 2020 George Floyd Protests