The Pentagon announced Sunday afternoon that Defense Secretary Mark Esper has asked Navy Secretary Richard Spencer to resign for not telling him that he had a private conversation with the White House over the taking away of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s Navy SEAL Trident pin.
“Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper has asked for the resignation of Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer after losing trust and confidence in him regarding his lack of candor over conversations with the White House involving the handling of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher,” the Pentagon’s chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement Sunday.
Trump had intervened in recent weeks to restore Gallagher’s rank, which was reduced by the Navy after he was convicted of taking a photo with a deceased Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighter.
The Navy then announced it would launch a review board to consider whether to take away Gallagher’s Trident pin, essentially kicking him out of the Navy SEALs. Trump tweeted that the Navy would do no such thing, but Spencer said it would proceed until receiving an official order from the president, which he would follow.
Fierce Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up high-stakes Senate race
Congress to Withhold Key Funding from Pentagon Until Pete Hegseth Meets Lawmakers’ Demands
Report: Biden Was So Determined to Do the Opposite of Trump That He Ignored Repeated Warnings from His Own Advisers
White House turns up heat on Biden’s economic record as voters sour on ‘affordability’
Former Miss Slovakia says Uber driver kicked her out on busy intersection for being Jewish
Luigi Mangione pumps fist in court as body cam allegedly reveals loaded magazine found inside wet underwear
Top Dem Drops Out of Texas Senate Race on Same Day Jasmine Crockett Is Expected to Announce Her Candidacy
Op-Ed: Shocking Teenage Abortion Investigation Shows Weakness of Red-State Abortion Laws
Trump to unleash $12B farm rescue as China trade reset hits US growers
Trump HHS changes transgender Biden official’s nameplate back to birth name during shutdown
Megyn Kelly Confirms Deadly COVID Vax Reporting – Read the Bombshell ’10 Out of 96 Reported Child Deaths Were Vax-Related’ Memo Here
Picture Perfect Troll: Trump Adds His Birthday to List of Dates for Free Nat’l Park Admission and Cuts MLK Day, Juneteenth
SCOTUS takes up Trump’s bid to fire FTC commissioner at will — a showdown that could topple 90-year precedent
US deports more Iranians, Islamic republic says
DC police chief resigns amid Trump pressure and crime data manipulation probe
The Pentagon said in its statement that after Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with President Trump on Friday regarding Gallagher’s case, Esper learned that “Spencer had previously and privately proposed to the White House — contrary to Spencer’s public position — to restore Gallagher’s rank and allow him to retire with his Trident pin.”
“When recently asked by Secretary Esper, Secretary Spencer confirmed that despite multiple conversations on the Gallagher matter, Secretary Esper was never informed by Secretary Spencer of his private proposal,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman also announced that Esper has directed that Gallagher retain his Trident pin, and that Navy Under Secretary Thomas Modley would now be acting Navy secretary.
Hoffman said:
Secretary Esper’s position with regard to UCMJ, disciplinary, and fitness for duty actions has always been that the process should be allowed to play itself out objectively and deliberately, in fairness to all parties. However, at this point, given the events of the last few days, Secretary Esper has directed that Gallagher retain his Trident pin. Secretary Esper will meet with Navy Under Secretary (now Acting Secretary) Thomas Modley and the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday on Monday morning to discuss the way ahead.
Fierce Trump critic Jasmine Crockett shakes up high-stakes Senate race
Congress to Withhold Key Funding from Pentagon Until Pete Hegseth Meets Lawmakers’ Demands
Report: Biden Was So Determined to Do the Opposite of Trump That He Ignored Repeated Warnings from His Own Advisers
White House turns up heat on Biden’s economic record as voters sour on ‘affordability’
Former Miss Slovakia says Uber driver kicked her out on busy intersection for being Jewish
Luigi Mangione pumps fist in court as body cam allegedly reveals loaded magazine found inside wet underwear
Top Dem Drops Out of Texas Senate Race on Same Day Jasmine Crockett Is Expected to Announce Her Candidacy
Op-Ed: Shocking Teenage Abortion Investigation Shows Weakness of Red-State Abortion Laws
Trump to unleash $12B farm rescue as China trade reset hits US growers
Trump HHS changes transgender Biden official’s nameplate back to birth name during shutdown
Megyn Kelly Confirms Deadly COVID Vax Reporting – Read the Bombshell ’10 Out of 96 Reported Child Deaths Were Vax-Related’ Memo Here
Picture Perfect Troll: Trump Adds His Birthday to List of Dates for Free Nat’l Park Admission and Cuts MLK Day, Juneteenth
SCOTUS takes up Trump’s bid to fire FTC commissioner at will — a showdown that could topple 90-year precedent
US deports more Iranians, Islamic republic says
DC police chief resigns amid Trump pressure and crime data manipulation probe
The Pentagon statement included a quote from Esper: “I am deeply troubled by this conduct shown by a senior DOD official. Unfortunately, as a result I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position. I wish Richard well.”
Esper has proposed that Ambassador Kenneth Braithwaite, current U.S. Ambassador to Norway and a retired Navy Rear Admiral, be considered as the next Secretary of the Navy, the statement said.
Story cited here.
