Yahoo Movies OnPolitics: Vindman condemns Milley for China call
It’s not every day the White House has to refute claims from a rapper. But then again, we’re not living in normal times.
Pounding the alarm: The White House offered Wednesday to connect Nicki Minaj with one of the Biden administration’s doctors to address her questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, after the Trinidadian-born rapper’s erroneous tweet alleging the vaccine causes impotence went viral.
The White House said that they’ve offered such calls with others concerned about the vaccine, part of an aggressive public relations campaign to beat back rampant disinformation about the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.
In non-pop culture news … Congressional leaders have been briefed about a rally called "Justice for J6" that is scheduled Saturday at the Capitol, and security crews are using a chain-link fence around the building to deter another riot like the one on Jan. 6. The rally is meant to support people charged in the Capitol riot.
It’s Amy and Mabinty, with the real news out of Washington.
Trump whistleblower accuses Gen. Milley of breaking chain of command
A new book claiming that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held calls with Chinese military leaders to head off a nuclear confrontation prompted swift backlash from many Trump allies — and one very consequential Trump critic.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the whistleblower who reported calls with Ukraine that led to the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, called for Milley's ouster over the top general's phone calls.
Milley, the top-ranking officer in the military, made two phone calls with his Chinese counterpart in 2020 to assure them that the U.S. would not launch a nuclear strike, according to a new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of The Washington Post.
Is Milley really in "Peril"? On Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he still has "great confidence" in Milley. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also offered the administration's endorsement of the top general, continuing that Milley "went through the normal channels of communication" and did not subvert the chain of command.
Real quick: Stories you'll want to read
Threats against the VP: Niviane Petit Phelps, a 39 year-old former Florida nurse, plead guilty Friday to six counts of making threats against vice president Kamala Harris.
A message to China? The United States is forming a security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. One of the first initiatives will be to help Australia develop a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
Medicare drug-price proposal rejected: Three House Democrats joined Republicans in rejecting a section of President Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion budget that proposed having Medicare negotiate drug prices.
Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for OnPolitics newsletter here.
A former Pennsylvania lawmaker’s $15,000 message to Biden
Billboards showing President Joe Biden "Making the Taliban Great Again" recently popped up in Pennsylvania, and state Sen. Scott Wagner is staking claim for them.
The billboards depict President Joe Biden dressed in Taliban garb and holding a rocket-propelled grenade, and they bear the phrase, “Making the Taliban Great Again!” The phrase, of course, apes former President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan and rallying cry for his supporters, “Make America Great Again!”
How much did this cost? Wagner took to the highways and byways of central Pennsylvania, renting out a dozen billboards at a cost of about $15,000.
Why did he do this? Wagner said he felt the need to express his opinion because the pullout in Afghanistan, and the ensuing chaos as the government collapsed with astonishing speed, “is an absolute mess and a tragedy.”
The billboards have attracted a lot of attention on social media and from passersby, with mixed reactions. Those who support Biden believe the billboards are disrespectful and crude. Those who don’t, well, don’t.
Want to live longer? Take 7,000 steps per day. — Amy and Mabinty
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump whistleblower slams Gen. Milley for China call
