Christopher C. Miller

Chris Miller
Official portrait, 2020
United States Secretary of Defense
Acting
November 9, 2020 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMark Esper
Succeeded byDavid Norquist (acting)
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center
In office
August 10, 2020 – November 9, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJoseph Maguire
Succeeded bySteve Vanech (acting)
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict
Acting
June 19, 2020 – August 10, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byThomas Alexander (acting)
Succeeded byEzra Cohen-Watnick (acting)
Personal details
Born
Christopher Charles Miller

(1965-10-15) October 15, 1965 (age 59)
Platteville, Wisconsin, U.S.
Spouse
Kathryn Maag
​
(m. 1989)​
Children3
EducationGeorge Washington University (BA)
Naval War College (MA)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1983–2014
RankColonel
Unit5th Special Forces Group
Intelligence Support Activity
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
Iraq War

Christopher Charles Miller (born October 15, 1965) is an American retired United States Army Special Forces colonel who served as acting United States secretary of Defense from November 9, 2020, to January 20, 2021.[1] He previously served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center from August 10 to November 9, 2020. Before his civilian service in the Department of Defense, Miller was a Green Beret, commanding units of the 5th Special Forces Group in Afghanistan and Iraq, and later spent time as a defense contractor.

Miller's tenure in the Trump administration began as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, confirmed by voice vote in the United States Senate on August 6, 2020.[2][3][4] President Donald Trump named Miller acting defense secretary after firing Mark Esper on November 9, 2020, six days after the 2020 presidential election.[5][6][7][8] Miller was accused of obstructing the transition to Joe Biden's administration by Biden staff, which Miller denied.[9]

Miller was criticized for his response to the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. He approved the deployment of National Guard troops from neighboring states to reinforce the D.C. National Guard at 4:41 p.m., three hours after Capitol Police said that they were being overrun and two hours after city officials had asked for such assistance.[10][11][12] Miller later testified that he had no need to speak with the President on January 6 because, "I had all the authority I needed and I knew what had to happen", and he said the delay was because he wanted to avoid a repeat of the Kent State shootings.[13]

Upon the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, Miller was succeeded by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist.[14][15]

  1. ^ "Christopher C. Miller > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". defense.gov. March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference PN1741 - nomination of Christopher C Miller was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Christopher Miller, Director of NCTC" (PDF). August 10, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Beavers Trump fires Defense chief was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cooper, Helene; Schmitt, Eric (November 9, 2020). "Trump Fires Mark Esper, His Defense Secretary". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  6. ^ "Director NCTC". Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Christopher C. Miller". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  8. ^ @realDonaldTrump (November 9, 2020). "I am pleased to announce that Christopher C. Miller, the highly respected Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (unanimously confirmed by the Senate), will be Acting Secretary of Defense, effective immediately." (Tweet). Retrieved November 9, 2020 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Biden accuses US defence department of obstruction on transition". BBC News. December 29, 2020. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  10. ^ Scott Calvert; Nancy A. Youssef; Sadie Gurman (January 10, 2021). "In Capitol Riot, Communications Between Agencies Hampered Forceful Response". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "Did Trump Defense Secretary 'Disarm' DC National Guard Before Insurrection?". Snopes. February 4, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  12. ^ "Timeline for December 31, 2020 - January 6, 2021" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of Defense. January 8, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  13. ^ Peterson, Beatrice; Winsor, Morgan (May 12, 2021). "Former acting defense secretary testifies he was trying to avoid another Kent State on Jan. 6". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  14. ^ Vella, Lauren (January 20, 2021). "Trump administration official Norquist sworn in as acting Pentagon chief". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  15. ^ "Trump Defense Secretary Disarmed D.C. National Guard Before Capitol Riot". January 30, 2021. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.