evidence: But the nation’s top military leaders have a different perspective. In a series of striking critiques this week, senior retired military officers including former Secretary of Defense and retired Gen. James Mattis spoke out forcefully and unequivocally against the president. This is not a disagreement over policy, but rather an indictment of the commander in chief’s leadership and competency at a critical moment for the nation. For senior retired military officers to level such criticism against a serving president is unprecedented and signals a true constitutional crisis over American civil-military relations. [...] Throughout his tenure in office, Trump has voiced his approval of using active duty troops for domestic missions, ranging from border security to law enforcement. Throughout his tenure in office, Trump has voiced his approval of using active duty troops for domestic missions, ranging from border security to law enforcement. He informed America’s governors during the current crisis that he was placing Milley "in charge" of restoring order and repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops — perhaps even without a request by state leaders. The president apparently views such actions as demonstrations of strength, as opposed to a regrettable necessity, and even endorsed a senator’s dangerous call for the deployment of Army divisions to American cities.