Two retired army officers are urging General Mark Milley – the highest-ranking military officer in the US – to remove President Donald Trump from office if he refuses to leave when his term ends.

In an open letter published in Defense One, John Nagl and Paul Yingling warned President Trump could trigger a “once-unthinkable scenario of authoritarian rule” and “America’s greatest Constitutional crisis since the Civil War”

“If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the United States military must remove him by force, and you must give that order.” “The president of the United States is actively subverting our electoral system, threatening to remain in office in defiance of our Constitution.

“In a few months’ time, you may have to choose between defying a lawless president or betraying your Constitutional oath.” According to the DOD Reorganisation Act of 1986, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff “does not exercise military command over any combatant forces”. The pair claimed there was “little doubt that Mr Trump is facing electoral defeat”, citing a 91 per cent chance he will lose come November 3.