Standing down

Navy Notified That Trump Will Not Intervene on Disciplinary Action of SEAL Edward Gallagher

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer said he would need a formal order to stop a review of Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher who the president supports.

The U.S. Navy on Sunday was notified that the White House would not intervene to stop a disciplinary action of SEAL Edward Gallagher, despite President Donald Trump’s assurances that he would. The secretary of the U.S. Navy rebuffed the president’s tweets, saying it would take more than a presidential tweet to stop the review of Gallagher, who may be stripped of his Trident pin over alleged war crimes and conduct in Iraq. The Associated Press reports that Richard Spencer made the remarks Saturday after he was asked if he will honor the president’s tweet last week in which he wrote that the navy “will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin.” Gallagher will be under review at a trial starting Dec. 2 to determine if he will be allowed to stay in the elite force. The SEAL was found guilty of posing with a corpse in Iraq in 2017 but cleared of murder charges in the stabbing death of an Islamic State captive. President Trump has been supportive of the SEAL against the wishes of Gallagher’s superiors. “I need a formal order to act,” Spencer said when asked about Trump’s tweets on the matter. “I don’t interpret them as a formal order.”

Gallagher told Fox New Sunday that he was pleased but embarrassed by the president’s attention. He instead blamed his superior for trying to take his rank within the SEALs away due to retaliation for the president’s support. “This is all about ego and retaliation,” Gallagher said. “This has nothing to do with good order and discipline. They could have taken my Trident at any time they wanted. Now [they are] trying to take it after president restored my rank.”