Pete Hegseth strips Mark Milley’s security detail and clearances in Trump’s latest threat to critics
Pete Hegseth strips Mark Milley’s security detail and clearances in Trump’s latest threat to critics
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Pentagon inspector general will also review Milley’s time in office and may consider retroactive demotion. A Pentagon spokesperson said Hegseth also directed the Department of Defense inspector general to investigate “the facts and circumstances” of Milley’s time in office to determine whether to “reopen his military grade review determination,” which could retroactively demote Milley and throw his retirement benefits into question.
“Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority for the Defense Department under President Trump’s leadership,” Defense Department chief of staff Joe Kasper said in a statement.
In his retirement ceremony in 2023, Milley also reminded U.S. service members that they have sworn an oath to defend the constitution, not to “a king, or a queen, or to a tyrant or dictator, and we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator.”. Joe Biden pardoned Milley hours before leaving office, fearing that Trump would seek vengeance against his political enemies.
“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement at the time. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”.
