Judicial Watch Sues Defense Department for Records on 2021 Meeting Between Garland and Milley about President Trump

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense for records regarding a reported 2021 meeting between then-Attorney General Merrick Garland and then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley during which they discussed President Trump. During the meeting, Milley is alleged to have pressured Garland to target “far-right” militia movements (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Defense (No. 1:25-cv-01330)).

In his book released in October 2024, journalist Bob Woodward wrote that in early 2021 Garland and Milley met for lunch at the Department of Justice. They discussed then-former President Trump, and Milley pressed the attorney general to investigate domestic threats and “far-right militia groups.”  

Woodward described the meeting as “highly unusual, if not unprecedented.” 

Judicial Watch sued the Defense Department after it failed to respond to a February 10, 2025, FOIA request for:

Records and communications including emails, email chains, email attachments, text message meeting minutes, outlook calendars, voice recordings, video recordings, correspondence, statements, letters, memoranda, letters, reports, briefings, cables, presentations, notes, or other form of record, regarding a meeting between Merrick Garland, Attorney General, DOJ, and General Mark Alexander Milley, former, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concerning:

(1) President or former President Donald J. Trump

(2) Domestic Violent Extremism

(3) Far-right Militia Movements. 

“General Milley is a seditionist – and abusing his office to target President Trump and millions of Americans is par for the course,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Defense Secretary Hegseth should order immediate transparency and release of the documents about General Milley to Judicial Watch and the American people.”

In December 2024, Judicial Watch sued the Justice Department for records on the 2021 meeting between Garland and Milley.

In February 2025, Judicial Watch sued the Defense Department for information about two conference calls involving Milley with the Justice Department, Interior and Homeland Security regarding coordination for the January 6, 2021, election certification.

In December 2021, Judicial Watch sued the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for records of communications and meetings between then-CIA Director Gina Haspel and Milley, who reportedly had at least one conversation in which President Trump was attacked as being part of a “coup.”

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