White House Claimed It Would Not Get Involved
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has asked for the resignation of Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer over reports he was strongly considering quitting over President Donald Trump’s interference in the case of a SEAL accused of multiple war crimes. Trump pardoned the alleged war criminal and took to Twitter to tell the Navy chief he should stop his plan to fire the SEAL and “Get back to business!”
“Unfortunately, as a result I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position,” Esper said, according to The Washington Post. “I wish Richard well.”
The firing comes after the White House let it be known it would not interfere in how the Navy decided to move forward against the Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher.
Secvretary Spencer “denied that he had threatened to resign but said disciplinary plans against Chief Gallagher would proceed because he did not consider Mr. Trump’s statement on Twitter to be a formal order,” The New York Times reported Saturday.
Read the full report at The Washington Post