A retired top US general defended having told his Chinese counterpart he would give advance notice of any American attack, sparking accusations of disloyalty.

• The general said he told a Chinese general there would be no US attack, but that if one were coming, he'd probably call first.
• The stated goal was to calm tensions, since China wrongly feared Trump planned to strike.
• Critics slammed the promise as tipping off a rival power and called it a betrayal.
• The exchange feeds a broader fight over "enemies within" — officials accused of putting money or foreign ties ahead of the country.

Outlook: Expect the clip to fuel more political attacks over military loyalty and civilian control of the armed forces.