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

By Travis J. Tritten

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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