Christopher C. Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Miller
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Official portrait, 2020
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| United States Secretary of Defense | |
| Acting November 9, 2020 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Mark Esper |
| Succeeded by | David Norquist (acting) |
| Director of the National Counterterrorism Center | |
| In office August 10, 2020 – November 9, 2020 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Joseph Maguire |
| Succeeded by | Steve Vanech (acting) |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict | |
| Acting June 19, 2020 – August 10, 2020 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Thomas Alexander (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Ezra Cohen-Watnick (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christopher Charles Miller
October 15, 1965 Platteville, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Kathryn Maag
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | George Washington University (BA) Naval War College (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1983–2014 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | 5th Special Forces Group Intelligence Support Activity |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Christopher Charles Miller (born October 15, 1965) is an American retired United States Army Special Forces colonel. He served as the acting Secretary of Defense from November 2020 to January 2021. The Secretary of Defense is the main leader of the Department of Defense, which manages the U.S. military.
Before this important role, Miller was the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. This center helps the U.S. fight against terrorism. Before working in civilian government, Miller was a "Green Beret," a special forces soldier. He led military units in Afghanistan and Iraq. After his military career, he worked as a defense contractor, helping with military projects.
President Donald Trump chose Miller to be the acting Secretary of Defense after the previous Secretary, Mark Esper, left the job. This happened in November 2020. Miller's time as acting Secretary ended when Joe Biden became president in January 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Christopher Miller was born in Platteville, Wisconsin, on October 15, 1965. He grew up in Iowa City starting in 1975. His mother, Lois Maxine Miller, was a teacher at the University of Delaware. His father, Harvey Dell Miller, was the police chief of Iowa City for 13 years. Miller said his father strongly believed in serving the public.
Miller went to Iowa City High School. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from George Washington University in 1987. He was recognized for having the highest grades in the history department. Later, he earned a Master of Arts degree in national security studies from the Naval War College in 2001. He also studied at the College of Naval Command and Staff and the Army War College.
Military Service
Miller served in the U.S. military for many years, from 1983 to 2014. He started as an enlisted soldier in the Army Reserve. In 1987, he became an officer after completing ROTC. In 1993, he joined the Special Forces, known as Green Berets.
As a major, Miller commanded a company in the 5th Special Forces Group during the invasion of Afghanistan. He was part of a quick response team after a friendly fire incident. During his career, Miller was sent to Afghanistan and Iraq several times. In Iraq, he led Special Forces units in 2006 and 2007. He was promoted to colonel in December 2009.
One of his last jobs in the Army was as Director for Special Operations and Irregular Warfare at the Pentagon in 2011.
Civilian Career Before 2020
After leaving the military in 2014, Miller worked as a defense contractor. He also worked for the government as an inspector for intelligence oversight from late 2017. In March 2018, he moved to the National Security Council. There, he advised on counterterrorism and was involved in operations against terrorist groups. He left this role in March 2019.
In 2020, he became the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism. In this role, he helped identify threats to the United States, including from Iran, Hezbollah, and domestic terrorism.
In August 2020, Miller became the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
Acting Secretary of Defense
On November 9, 2020, Christopher Miller was appointed as the acting Secretary of Defense. This happened after President Trump removed Mark Esper from the position. This change occurred during a "lame duck" period, which is the time after an election but before the new president takes office.
Miller's chief of staff was Kash Patel.
Troop Withdrawals
In November 2020, the Pentagon leadership ordered a reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia. This decision was made against the advice of some U.S. military commanders. Some people criticized these withdrawals, saying they could harm efforts to fight terrorism. Miller stated that the U.S. was "on the verge of defeating al-Qa'ida" and that it was "time to come home."
Presidential Transition
On December 18, 2020, Miller ordered the Pentagon to delay about 40 meetings with the incoming Joe Biden administration. These meetings were postponed until January 1, 2021. Miller said this was a "mutually agreed-upon holiday pause." However, the Biden transition team said they had not agreed to such a pause. This decision came as President Donald Trump had not yet conceded the election.
U.S. Capitol Attack
On January 3, 2021, ten former Secretaries of Defense wrote an open letter. They expressed concerns about the military's role in the election results. The letter warned public officials, including Miller, about the serious consequences of violating the Constitution.
On the same day, Miller spoke with President Trump. Miller later said that he told the president that Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser had asked for unarmed personnel to help local police. Miller testified that Trump responded, "Fill it and do whatever was necessary to protect the demonstrators."
On January 5, Miller issued orders that limited the D.C. National Guard. They were not allowed to use weapons, helmets, body armor, or riot control agents without his personal approval. The commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, later explained that he did not have the usual authority to respond immediately to protect property or lives.
Miller's actions on January 6, 2021, were closely examined. After people broke into the Capitol building, Miller waited more than three hours before allowing the National Guard to be sent in. He gave permission at 4:32 p.m., after troops from Virginia had already arrived in D.C. Miller testified that he wanted to avoid a situation like the Kent State shootings, where students were shot during a protest.
Miller also testified that President Trump told him to give Mayor Bowser any support she requested. Trump also suggested they might need 10,000 troops on January 6. However, Miller stated that Trump never gave him a formal order to have 10,000 troops ready for the Capitol. Miller said he did not speak with Trump during the attack because he felt he had all the authority he needed to act.
Miller acknowledged that there might have been a communication problem. He ordered the National Guard to be "mobilized" (made ready) to defend the Capitol. However, this is different from ordering them to be "deployed" (sent into action). This difference might have caused delays in the response.
Views on Military Programs
In an interview in January 2021, Miller shared his thoughts on military programs. He criticized the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and efforts to develop new fighter jets. He supported new ideas for the Defense Department to handle situations that are "below the threshold of armed conflict." He believed this was the future for the department.
Post-Trump Administration
In February 2023, Miller published his memoir titled Soldier Secretary: Warnings from the Battlefield & the Pentagon About America's Most Dangerous Enemies. In his book, Miller suggested that the U.S. military budget could be cut by 40 to 50 percent, bringing it back to levels before the 9/11 events.
In 2023, Miller wrote a chapter on the Department of Defense for the ninth edition of Mandate for Leadership. This book, published by Heritage Foundation, outlines policy ideas for a future presidential administration.
Personal Life
Christopher Miller married Kathryn Maag Miller on September 16, 1989. She works as an office manager for a group that supports health and environment issues. They have three children.
See also
In Spanish: Christopher C. Miller para niños
