Pushing back against President Trump's assertions that America's military leaders are invested in "forever wars" to bolster the profits of defense firms, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said that military officials "would only recommend sending troops to combat when it's required as a national security, or as a last resort," according to a report from US News.
After initially declining to comment on Trump's growing criticism of Pentagon leaders, he chose to respond after being questioned about the influence of private companies on U.S. foreign policy.
"I'm not saying the military's in love with me. The soldier's are," Trump said on Monday.
"The top people in the Pentagon probably aren't because they want to do nothing but fight wars so all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy," Trump added.
Trump was responding to a recent report from The Atlantic that cited unnamed sources who say Trump disparaged military veterans and U.S. war dead in private.
Read the full story over at US New and World Report.