US Navy chief fired amid Trump’s backing of convicted SEAL
US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer has been fired over his handling of the case of Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL convicted of battlefield misconduct in Iraq and later supported by President Donald Trump.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper fired Spencer on Sunday after he along with his colleague Rear Adm. Collin Green threatened to quit if plans to hold a review to decide if Gallagher should be expelled in a war crimes case would be halted.
Esper also said Gallagher ought to be allowed to retain his Trident pin designating him as a SEAL, which could mean an end to the Navy’s efforts to conduct the review that could have forced him out of the elite force.
Gallagher, 40, was convicted in July of posing for pictures with a corpse of a Daesh militant during a 2017 deployment in Iraq.
He was, however, acquitted on several other charges, including murder of the militant and firing on unarmed civilians.
Trump publicly opposed taking away Gallagher’s Trident pin and vowed he would not allow him to be expelled from the commando force.
In November, the White House said Trump had restored Gallagher’s rank and pardoned two other Army officers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.
Following Esper’s decision, Trump took to Twitter, saying Gallagher will retire with all of the honors he has.
“Eddie will retire peacefully with all of the honors that he has earned, including his Trident Pin,” Trump said on Twitter.
Gallagher called Trump a "true leader" in a statement obtained by The Washington Examiner, saying, "President Donald Trump, you have my deepest gratitude and thanks."
"You stepped in numerous times and showed true moral fiber by correcting all the wrongs that were being done to me."
Trump also said he was nominating Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite as the new Secretary of the Navy.
....honors that he has earned, including his Trident Pin. Admiral and now Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite will be nominated by me to be the new Secretary of the Navy. A man of great achievement and success, I know Ken will do an outstanding job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2019
In a letter published in media reports, Spencer criticized Trump, defending the need to preserve “good order and discipline throughout the ranks.”
“The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries,” Spencer wrote, according to the reports.
“Unfortunately it has become apparent that in this respect, I no longer share the same understanding with the Commander in Chief who appointed me.”
Trump's exoneration of soldiers accused of war crimes has sent a disturbing message to the world, Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said last week.
Colville said the international body was very concerned about the pardons given by Trump, which were "serious violations" of international law.
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