Photo: Ron Sachs/Shutterstock; Karwai Tang/WireImage
Ousted U.S. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer is speaking out about the events that led to his firing, calling PresidentDonald Trump‘s intervention in a war crimes case “shocking and unprecedented.”
NBC reports Gallagher wasdemoted to petty officer first classand fined two months’ pay.
But earlier in November, Trump reversed Gallagher’s demotion.He then tweetedthat he wouldn’t let the Navy strip Gallagher of his prestigious Navy SEALs Trident status.
“The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin,” Trump, 73, wrote. “This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!”
On Sunday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper requested Spencer’s resignation. The ouster came after the Spencer went outside the chain of command to seek a further review process about whether Gallagher should retain his Trident status, according toNBC News.
Richard Spencer.Shutterstock
Richard Spencer.US NAVY/MC SEAMAN APPRENTICE ANGEL JASKULOS HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“I also began to work without personally consulting Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper on every step. That was, I see in retrospect, a mistake for which I am solely responsible,” he wrote.
Spencer said the military has “extensive screening procedures” currently in place, but that new measures need to be implemented to prevent “a case such as this one from happening again.”
“We must now move on and learn from what has transpired,” he wrote. “More importantly, Americans need to know that 99.9 percent of our uniformed members always have, always are and always will make the right decision.”
He added: “Our allies need to know that we remain a force for good, and to please bear with us as we move through this moment in time.”
source: people.com
