Latest news with #Milley
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senators demand new investigation into former Gen. Milley's conduct
A pair of Republican senators are demanding another investigation into whether former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley undermined civilian control of the military during his time in office, stating they are not satisfied with past findings. In a letter to the Defense Department Inspector General, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Indiana Sen. Jim Banks said the issue is 'too important to be swept under the rug' and that Milley 'should be held accountable' if he is found to have misused his senior military post. The move comes about four months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stripped Milley of his security detail and ordered a similar inspector general investigation into his time as the top uniformed military leader. That review is also considering whether Milley should have his rank reduced post-retirement. Hegseth strips Milley of security detail, orders investigation Milley, 66, was hand-picked by Trump for the Joint Chiefs Chairman post in 2019. Their relationship soured after Milley publicly apologized for his appearance alongside Trump during a photo op just outside the White House grounds during civil protests in 2020, calling it an improper endorsement of a political event. The two also fought privately and publicly over the role of the U.S. military in enforcing laws on American soil. Milley later accused Trump of being a threat to democracy and a 'wannabe dictator.' During his second presidential campaign, Trump suggested that Milley should be executed for various perceived crimes, including talking to Chinese military officials during the presidential transition in 2020. Milley has said those conversations were routine meetings with foreign leaders to reassure them of a peaceful transition in American political power. In the book 'War' written by Bob Woodward and published last fall, Milley expressed concern that Trump could recall him to active duty to put him on trial for treason if he was re-elected to office. Hegseth's investigation request included the idea of leveling criminal charges against Milley for his conflicts with Trump. The inspector general's office already conducted a review in 2022 into Milley's actions as Joint Chiefs Chairman but closed the investigation without charges or recommendations for punishment. The senators said that work failed to produce 'acceptable answers to our questions,' prompting the request to revisit the issue. The Defense Department Inspector General does not currently have a Senate-confirmed leader after Trump fired Robert Storch in late January. Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins is leading the investigation requested by Hegseth. Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Milley, as protection against potential unwarranted prosecution by Trump. In a statement at that time, Milley thanked Biden for the move. 'After forty-three years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights,' he said.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP senators renew call for DOD watchdog to probe former Joint Chiefs boss Milley for alleged misconduct
Republican senators are renewing calls for the Pentagon's watchdog to investigate alleged misconduct and efforts to "undermine the chain of command" by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Fox News Digital has learned. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., penned a letter obtained by Fox News Digital to the acting inspector general of the Department of Defense, Steven Stebbins, renewing their 2022 request for a review of Milley's conduct. Milley Still Hasn't Responded To Banks, Grassley Letter With Questions On 'Commitment To Civilian Control' "We are writing to ensure that our concerns about alleged misconduct by the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, are finally addressed," Grassley and Banks wrote. The two senators made a request for an independent review of the conduct on Aug. 17, 2022, when Banks was serving as the chair of the House Republican Study Committee, but the review was closed by the former inspector general "without ever providing acceptable answers to our questions." Grassley and Banks said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has since "revived this review," directing the acting inspector general to "conduct a review of General Milley's alleged misconduct, including his actions to 'undermine the chain of command.'" Read On The Fox News App Hegseth is also seeking answers on whether "enough evidence exists for General Milley to be stripped of a star in retirement." "The Secretary's request rungs parallel to ours," Grassley and Banks wrote, noting that Hegseth's request "takes priority," but requested that once his request is complete, they will expect "some long overdue answers." Trump Acting Defense Secretary Miller Says He 'Did Not' Authorize Milley China Calls, Says He Should Resign The senators' inquiry was triggered by "explosive statements" made by Milley in several books, including "Peril" by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. The book chronicled Milley making "disparaging remarks about his Commander-in-Chief" and attempting "to insert himself in the nuclear chain of command despite having no nuclear command authority," Grassley and Banks said. They also referenced a promise Milley made to his Chinese counterparts ahead of any potential U.S. attacks on Beijing. Fox News Digital reported in 2021 that Milley confirmed that he did, in fact, tell his Chinese counterpart that he would likely call ahead of any potential U.S. attacks on China, but he maintained that he had that conversation at the direction of then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper after assessing intelligence suggesting heightened Chinese concerns about escalation. Milley added, though, that he was "not going to tip off any enemy to what the United States is going to do in an actual plan." The book also chronicled comments in which Milley said he believed then-President Donald Trump "had gone into serious mental decline … and could go rogue and order military action or use nuclear weapons, without going through required procedures." Flashback: Milley Confirms He Told China He Would Call Ahead Of Us Attack, Claims Esper Ordered Calls Based On Intel The lawmakers also pointed to the book's report that Milley had to "take any and all necessary precautions" to prevent the former president from engaging in a "rogue" military action and he "wanted to find a way to inject, if not require, that second opinion." Grassley and Banks said that the Department of Defense's former inspector general's "refusal to investigate allowed Milley to dodge responsibility." "The nation's highest-ranking military officer has a solemn responsibility to set an example of excellence and to model good conduct for all American service members," they wrote. "The record suggests that General Milley failed to meet those standards." Grassley and Banks said Milley's "conduct and willful undermining of his Commander-in-Chief posed a grave threat to civilian control of the military." "The issues raised by Milley's alleged misconduct are too important to be swept under the rug," they wrote. "They must be examined, and if substantiated, General Milley should be held accountable." Grassley and Banks added that the acting inspector general's "full cooperation would be appreciated." Milley did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for article source: GOP senators renew call for DOD watchdog to probe former Joint Chiefs boss Milley for alleged misconduct
Fox News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
GOP senators renew call for DOD watchdog to probe former Joint Chiefs boss Milley for alleged misconduct
Republican senators are renewing calls for the Pentagon's watchdog to investigate alleged misconduct and efforts to "undermine the chain of command" by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Fox News Digital has learned. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., penned a letter obtained by Fox News Digital to the acting inspector general of the Department of Defense, Steven Stebbins, renewing their 2022 request for a review of Milley's conduct. "We are writing to ensure that our concerns about alleged misconduct by the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, are finally addressed," Grassley and Banks wrote. The two senators made a request for an independent review of the conduct on Aug. 17, 2022, when Banks was serving as the chair of the House Republican Study Committee, but the review was closed by the former inspector general "without ever providing acceptable answers to our questions." Grassley and Banks said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has since "revived this review," directing the acting inspector general to "conduct a review of General Milley's alleged misconduct, including his actions to 'undermine the chain of command.'" Hegseth also is seeking answers on whether "enough evidence exists for General Milley to be stripped of a star in retirement." "The Secretary's request rungs parallel to ours," Grassley and Banks wrote, noting that Hegseth's request "takes priority," but requested that once his request is complete, they will expect "some long overdue answers." The senators' inquiry was triggered by "explosive statements" made by Milley in several books, including "Peril" by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. The books chronicled Milley making "disparaging remarks about his Commander-in-Chief" and attempting "to insert himself in the nuclear chain of command despite having no nuclear command authority," Grassley and Banks said. They also referenced a promise Milley made to his Chinese counterparts ahead of any potential U.S. attacks on Beijing. Fox News Digital reported in 2021 that Milley confirmed that he did, in fact, tell his Chinese counterpart that he would likely call ahead of any potential U.S. attacks on China, but maintained that he had that conversation at the direction of then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper after assessing intelligence suggesting heightened Chinese concerns about escalation. Milley added, though, that he was "not going to tip off any enemy to what the United States is going to do in an actual plan." The book also chronicled comments in which Milley said he believed then-President Donald Trump "had gone into serious mental decline … and could go rogue and order military action or use nuclear weapons, without going through required procedures." The lawmakers also pointed to the book's report that Milley had to "take any and all necessary precautions" to prevent the former president from engaging in a "rogue" military action and he "wanted to find a way to inject, if not require, that second opinion." Grassley and Banks said that the Department of Defense's former inspector general's "refusal to investigate allowed Milley to dodge responsibility." "The nation's highest-ranking military officer has a solemn responsibility to set an example of excellence and to model good conduct for all American service members," they wrote. "The record suggests that General Milley failed to meet those standards." Grassley and Banks said Milley's "conduct and willful undermining of his Commander-in-Chief posed a grave threat to civilian control of the military." "The issues raised by Milley's alleged misconduct are too important to be swept under the rug," they wrote. "They must be examined, and if substantiated, General Milley should be held accountable." Grassley and Banks added that the acting inspector general's "full cooperation would be appreciated." Milley did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How AI Social Sentiment Analysis Is Changing Stock Price Predictions
Kirill Sagitov, founder of winner of "Young Entrepreneur of Russia, 2019" award, and author of books. getty Social networks have become one of the most significant sources of diverse information that is hard to quantify numerically. Millions of people discuss stock prices daily, despite not being directly involved in the stock market. Even those with limited knowledge of finance feel the impact of market fluctuations on the economy and their personal wealth. These emotions shape public opinion, which businesses must consider in their strategies. Social sentiment analysis is used to study these processes. It assesses how people and society react to events related to securities. In the current reality, where a viral tweet can trigger a market crash, this has become a powerful and useful tool. If Argentina's President Milley had utilized sentiment analysis, he might have avoided the impeachment threat after his reckless endorsement of the LIBRA cryptocurrency, which caused its price to plummet, as reported by In February 2025, small businesses that the cryptocurrency was intended to support lost billions in just hours. Social analysis is a technology used to evaluate the emotional climate and reactions of internet users to specific events, often unrelated to the economy. Emotions influence people's thinking and actions, which is crucial for businesses. This information helps predict changes and can subtly influence them. For example, after Donald Trump's re-election to a second term, his media strategy shifted. During his first term, as reports, he frequently praised the U.S. economy and the stock market's growth, but such posts have now virtually disappeared from his social media. This shift could point to his team possibly using sentiment analysis to guide decisions. Previously, sentiment analysis was based on official reports and media publications. However, this approach has a significant drawback: The information is delayed. Social media, in contrast, provides instant coverage, but analysts struggle to process large data volumes in real time. AI helps solve this problem. The primary sources of data for sentiment analysis include: • Popular social networks. • Finance-focused forums, like StockTwits and Yahoo Finance. • Finance-related blogs. • News platforms. • Expert opinions and statements from public figures. The last point is crucial because it generates news and sparks discussions among experts and the general public. Some leaders use social media to influence the stock prices of their companies. They carefully craft their posts to be interpreted in multiple ways, making it difficult to hold themselves accountable, even though attempts are made, as notes. There are three key methods used in sentiment analysis: • Natural language processing (NLP) can help extract information from text and messages. • Sentiment categorization separates sentiments into 'positive,' 'negative' and 'neutral,' with scores assigned to each category. • Identifying dominant emotions such as fear, anxiety, and greed within society is also important. For example, reported that U.S. consumer sentiment dropped 10% in February compared to January due to growing pessimism among 62% of Americans. In December, they were optimistic about the new administration's ability to curb inflation, but this did not happen. A decline in consumer sentiment is a significant blow to the economy. Common tools for sentiment analysis include: • Google Cloud NLP for text analysis. • IBM Watson for sentiment shifts through AI. • FinSentS for extracting financial insights from sentiment data. • for analyzing community sentiment. Investors and traders need to react quickly to events that may prompt stockholders to buy or sell. For example, positive news about a company or reports of a catastrophic mistake by top management. In this case, acting fast is crucial, before people begin trading on the news. AI that analyzes social sentiment helps by tracking changes and predicting how people will react in terms of buying or selling stock. This gives traders an edge, allowing them to forecast stock price movements more accurately. Even AI-based analysis does not eliminate several challenges: • Fraudulent Activity: estimates that 48% of all business-related messages contain false or irrelevant information. • Discrepancies Between Sentiment And Actions: People may feel happy about something, but this doesn't guarantee they'll buy stock, especially if they lack the funds. • Manipulation Of Sentiment: Disappointment after learning the truth can affect decisions. • Human Factors: Recognizing sarcasm or humor can be difficult, especially across different languages and cultures. • Short-Term Predictions: Sentiments are volatile, so sentiment analysis is unreliable for long-term investments. As machine learning technologies improve, AI's prediction accuracy could also increase. AI will better understand human nature, emotions and motives. The integration of alternative data sources, such as web traffic and app data, could help provide deeper insights into how people's sentiments are expressed, not just through social media posts but also through other activities. The combination of sentiment analysis with blockchain technology could also help predict events on cryptocurrency exchanges, a rapidly growing field. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US far-right activist raises loyalty test that could deepen purge of security agencies
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While National Security Agency chief General Timothy Haugh apparently was not told why he was abruptly fired this week, a far-right activist who urged President Donald Trump to dismiss him offered one explanation: his alleged ties to retired Army general and Trump critic Mark Milley. In an X post on Friday, conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer denounced Haugh as "HAND PICKED by General Milley" without providing evidence. This set off a storm of speculation among current and former Pentagon officials about who might be next, given the hundreds of people Milley worked with during a four-decade military career. Many current and former officials said they worry any national security official could be suspected of disloyalty by Trump's inner circle because of their perceived links to officials who have fallen out of favor or just for having served in key roles during Joe Biden's presidency. A former senior official said that every four-star general should now be concerned about their future and wondered whether Loomer would go after other officials whose promotions or nominations could somehow be linked to Milley, even if the link is tenuous. "I will be releasing more names of individuals who should not be in the Trump administration due to their questionable loyalty & past attacks on President Trump," Loomer wrote on X. Uniformed members of the military have long prided themselves on being non-partisan executors of U.S. government policy. But Democratic lawmakers said the firings showed Trump was willing to trade away an apolitical military for one that is loyal to him. "He is sending a chilling message throughout the ranks: don't give your best military advice, or you may face consequences," said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The news of Haugh's firing, along with those of NSA Deputy Director Wendy Noble and at least 10 members of the White House national security council, marked an unpredictable and potentially deepening national security purge. In recent weeks, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown, as well as other admirals, generals and security staff have already been dismissed. If ties to Milley are one litmus test for loyalty for Trump's administration, a possibility first reported by Reuters, many more leaders could be vulnerable. Those promoted during Milley's career include General Michael Kurilla, who leads U.S. forces in the Middle East, or General Christopher Cavoli, head of U.S. troops in Europe. Both are nearing retirement. General James Mingus, Army vice chief of staff, and Major General James Work, leader of the 82nd Airborne Division, are two more seen as potential targets, officials added. However, Milley would only have acted as an adviser on such promotions, which are decided by the president and the defense secretary. 'WANNABE DICTATOR' Milley was Trump's top military adviser between 2019 and early 2021 then had a dramatic falling out with his boss. At his retirement ceremony in 2023, Milley took a veiled jab at Trump, saying U.S. troops take an oath to the Constitution and not a "wannabe dictator." Milley called Trump "fascist to the core" in a book by journalist Bob Woodward published last year. Within hours of Trump's inauguration on January 20, the Pentagon removed Milley's picture from a portrait display of all former top U.S. military officers. It then revoked his personal security detail and his security clearance and announced an inquiry that could lead to a demotion in rank. Loomer met with Trump at the White House a day before Haugh's dismissal on Thursday, and multiple sources said she provided Trump with a list of national security staff whom she said were disloyal to the president. In her X post on Friday, Loomer, who has previously promoted Islamophobic conspiracy theories, thanked Trump for "being receptive" to her recommendations about who should be fired. Trump told reporters he would let go of people "that may have loyalties to someone else."
