Washington, June 11: A top military general in the United States on Thursday apologised taking part in President Donald Trump’s walk to a church photo-op in army fatigue. Donning his combat uniform, Army General Mark Milley walked from the White House to a church at Lafayette Square with President Trump and others on June 1. Defense Secretary Mark Esper was also seen accompanying the presidential entourage. Pentagon-Donald Trump Clash Breaks Open Over Use of Military to Quell Protests.

Speaking at a ceremony in National Defense University, General Mark Milley said he was wrong to have accompanied President Trump. "As senior leaders, everything you do will be closely watched. And I am not immune. As many of you saw, the result of the photograph of me at Lafayet

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te Square last week. That sparked a national debate about the role of the military in civil society," Milley, said in a pre-recorded speech to a group of graduates. Donald Trump Joins Online Prayers From Prestonwood Baptist Church For COVID-19.

"I should not have been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics. As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from, and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it," he added. Several lawmakers and ex-military officers criticised General Milley's appearance in his combat uniform and opined that his action dragged traditionally apolitical military into a domestic political issue.

General Milley also said that he was "outraged" by the killing of George Floyd and added that the protests that followed spoke to "centuries of injustice toward African Americans." He had accompanied President Trump to Lafayette Square shortly after law enforcement officials cleared seemingly peaceful protesters from the area by using tear gas and rubber bullets.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2020 08:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).