WATCH: General Mark Milley Apologizes For Joining Trump At St. John’s Church Photo-Op

“I have nothing but deep admiration for and total confidence in General Milley as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Graham wrote. “I support his statement in both substance and spirit regarding the recent presidential visit to St. John’s.”

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who was also present at the photo-op, did not release a statement, though he commented on the situation last week at a press conference at Pentagon. He told reporters he “was not aware of a photo-op was happening.”

Trump repeatedly called in for tougher measures to suppress the demonstrators, criticizing local governors for their way of handling protests. Trump threatened he would to deploy active military force on protesting civilians.

Despite the presence of 1,600 troops in Washington D.C., Pentagon did not deploy them. Esper told reporters at a press conference he did not regard it as necessary.

“The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,” he told reporters.

After the statement, the Wall Street Journal reported Esper had a tense exchange with Trump after a disagreement on the use of military troops. Several anonymous officials told the Journal, Esper contemplated resigning.