Updated 6\/7\/20 at 4:30 PM EST with comments from Smith and Hoffman. <\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
WASHINGTON \u2014 Capping of a tumultuous week of questions about civil-military affairs<\/a> and the role of the U.S. military, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have turned down a request to testify in front of the House Armed Services Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A House aide confirmed on background that the two men have \u201crefused\u201d to testify next week, as was requested by HASC Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., requested Tuesday<\/a>. In addition, an informal briefing planned for Friday with Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy was cancelled by the DoD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a Friday evening statement, Smith and 30 Democratic members of the HASC called the decision not to appear in front of the committee, which has oversight over the military, \u201cunacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe House Armed Services Committee made the request and it has been denied. That is simply unacceptable. It is the constitutional duty of the House Armed Services Committee to perform rigorous oversight, just as it is the constitutional duty of the Administration to be accountable to the American people,” the members wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cApparently, the Trump administration believes they have no obligation to explain their actions to Congress or respect our constitutional system of checks and balances,\u201d Smith and the other continued, while noting that the informal briefing with McCarthy should be rescheduled immediately. “We look forward to receiving a briefing from the department no later than Monday, June 8, and receiving public, on-the-record testimony from Secretary Esper and General Milley shortly thereafter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t