This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has fired Navy chief Richard Spencer over his handling of the case of a Navy Seal demoted for misconduct.
Edward Gallagher, a Navy Seal, was convicted of posing with a corpse in 2017, and was demoted as a result. However, President Donald Trump later reinstated his rank.
On Sunday, the defence department said Mr Esper had asked Mr Spencer to resign due to 'his lack of candour'. Mr Spencer had made private proposals to the White House, which he did not share with Mr Esper, and had contradicted his public position, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffmann said in a statement.
Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday that he was not happy with how the Navy had handled Chief Gallagher's trial, and high costs in the Navy's contracting procedures.
Mr Spencer wrote in his resignation letter to President Trump: 'The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries. Good order and discipline is what has enabled our victory against foreign tyranny time and again.'
Mr Esper has instructed that Chief Gallagher be allowed to retire as a Navy Seal, retaining his Trident pin which symbolises membership of the elite unit.
