On Friday, Gen Milley defended calling the head of the Chinese army to assure him the United States would not attack China and that Gen Milley would warn General Li Zuocheng if it were to happen in both October and January. open image in gallery General Mark Milley (right), chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says his presence ‘created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics’ ( AP ) open image in gallery China’s People’s Liberation Army General Li Zuocheng and then-US Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley review an honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Bayi Building in Beijing on August 16, 2016 ( AFP via Getty Images )