President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he intends to nominate Kenneth Braithwaite, the ambassador to Norway, to replace Navy Secretary Richard Spencer after Spencer was asked to resign over his handling of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher’s case earlier in the day.
Trump made the announcement on Twitter on Sunday evening just hours after Spencer was asked to resign by Defense Secretary Mark Esper. A Pentagon spokesperson said Esper had asked for Spencer’s resignation after “losing trust and confidence” in him due to “his lack of candor over conversations with the White House involving the handling of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher.”
Esper said he had lost confidence in Spencer after the navy secretary tried to make a private deal with White House officials without telling him, the spokesperson said. The deal would allow the Navy to conduct an internal review of Gallagher but with no changes to the SEAL’s rank and his Trident pin.
“I am deeply troubled by this conduct shown by a senior DOD official,” Esper said in a statement. “Unfortunately, as a result, I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position.”
Later in the day, Trump said he was not pleased with the way the Navy was pursuing Gallagher’s case, saying that Gallagher “was treated very badly but, despite this, was completely exonerated on all major charges. I then restored Eddie’s rank,” referring to his recent order to restore Gallagher’s rank prior to a trial during which he was found not guilty of killing a wounded ISIS terrorist.
The Navy appeared to be taking steps to remove Gallagher from the SEAL designation after Trump restored his rank. Gallagher’s lawyers accused the Navy of acting in retaliation to Trump’s actions and for defying the president’s actions.
Trump also cited Spencer’s management of the Navy for his removal, saying that he was not happy with the “large cost overruns from past administration’s contracting procedures were not addressed to my satisfaction.”
The commander in chief then went on to say that Braithwaite, who is also a retired Navy Rear Admiral, will be nominated as the next Navy secretary.
“Admiral and now Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite will be nominated by me to be the new Secretary of the Navy. A man of great achievement and success, I know Ken will do an outstanding job!” he added.
I was not pleased with the way that Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s trial was handled by the Navy. He was treated very badly but, despite this, was completely exonerated on all major charges. I then restored Eddie’s rank. Likewise, large cost overruns from past administration’s…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2019
….honors that he has earned, including his Trident Pin. Admiral and now Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite will be nominated by me to be the new Secretary of the Navy. A man of great achievement and success, I know Ken will do an outstanding job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2019
Trump received mixed reactions for his decision to intervene in Gallagher’s case. The president has demanded that Gallagher be allowed to keep his SEAL title and trident pin but Spencer wanted to go forward with the Navy internal review.
The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin. This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2019
In his resignation letter obtained by media outlets (pdf), Spencer said he couldn’t continue to serve due to moral reservations he had due to a difference in understanding with Trump in regard to the principle of “good order and discipline,” likely referring to Gallagher’s case.
“I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I took in the presence of my family, my flag, and my faith,” Spencer wrote.
The Pentagon spokesperson also said that “given the events of the last few days, Secretary Esper has directed that Gallagher retain his Trident pin.”
He said that Navy Under Secretary Thomas Modley will act as Navy Secretary.
From The Epoch Times
