Christopher Miller, former Acting Defense secretary in the Trump administration, says he was unaware of prior incidents of Chinese balloons flying over U.S. air space, something lawmakers have started asking about.
"I never heard anything like this," Miller told The Hill in an interview while promoting his new book, "Secretary Soldier," due out Tuesday.
CNN reported this week that the suspected Chinese surveillance balloons that transited the U.S. during former President Trump's time in office were only discovered after President Biden took office.
Former Trump Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who preceded Miller, told CNN on Friday he was also unaware of previous incidents.
Miller told The Hill on Monday that the balloon saga over the past week provided entertaining fodder for memes and late-night shows, but from a national security perspective, the ordeal was "pretty disappointing."
"You can't make this up," he said.
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ON HIS NEW BOOK: Miller is the latest Trump-era official to write a book sharing details of their experience from the 45th president's time in office.
But don't expect a dry "lessons in leadership"-type tome from Miller's "Secretary Soldier."
"The big thing is, I wanted it to be entertaining," Miller told The Hill.
Miller, who served in the military for more than three decades before becoming acting Defense secretary after the 2020 election until Trump left office, said he hopes his book helps bridge the divide between civilians and the military and will inspire more people into public service.
"That would be my greatest success," he said.
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ON JAN. 6: In the introduction to his book, Miller recounts a frantic phone call from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other leaders who had been whisked to a safe area about two miles from the Capitol at Fort McNair.
Miller and others have faced criticism over the response as hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Miller told The Hill he was worried about giving the impression that the military was there to back up insurrectionists.
"I was really concerned about perception that the military would be used inappropriately, but I was committed to providing support," he said.
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ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUMP: Miller said he hasn't talked to the former president in "quite a while."
"He's a busy man," he said, adding that former members of the Trump administration occasionally exchange messages but largely avoid talking directly to each other because of ongoing litigation related to Trump.
As for Trump's decision to run for president again in 2024, Miller simply said, "It's a free country."
Would he be interested in another job if Trump is elected? "It's probably time to do something a little different," Miller said.
Check back with The Hill for more details from Miller's book.
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