Discussions happening among Pentagon workers about responses to Trump's upcoming orders: report

Informal discussions are taking place among Pentagon officials over how to respond to President-elect Donald Trump's potential upcoming orders, according to reports.

Some of Trump's orders, these officials argue, could include using the military to enforce massive deportations and get new national security personnel in the agencies. 

According to a report from CNN, officials have been coming up with game plans to respond as Trump makes a return to the White House.

“We are all preparing and planning for the worst-case scenario, but the reality is that we don’t know how this is going to play out yet,” an official told the outlet. 

Some of the officials seemed concerned that Trump would conduct unlawful orders, but said troops are required to disobey orders if they aren't lawful.

Right now it isn't clear who Trump will select to lead the Pentagon as he had a rough relationship with the military leadership in the first term.

“The relationship between the White House and the DoD was really, really bad, and so … I know it’s top of mind for how they’re going to select the folks that they put in DoD this time around,” the former official said to CNN.

Some have compared these discussions in the Pentagon to then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley calling a Chinese general in the final month of Trump's first term in office to tell him that "we are not going to attack you," according to Reuters. The call, which Trump was unaware of, raised questions and received criticism about it possibly violating the chain of command and the principle of civilian control of the military.