Trump on Sunday Told Pentagon Not to Fire Navy SEAL, Esper Says


By Travis J. Tritten

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Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that President Donald Trump personally ordered him Sunday to not expel Edward Gallagher, the Navy SEAL convicted of posing with a dead ISIS fighter.

  • “The president is the commander in chief, he has every right, authority, privilege to do what he wants to do,” Esper told reporters at the Pentagon Monday
  • Esper also said former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer had indicated on Thursday that he would likely resign rather than carry out Trump’s directive
  • Trump said Sunday Gallagher is retiring with his Trident pin
  • Earlier, Defense Chief Esper Ousts Navy Secretary in SEAL Fallout

To contact the reporter on this story:
Travis J. Tritten in Washington at ttritten@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Kasia Klimasinska at kklimasinska@bloomberg.net
Vivek Shankar

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