US Navy chief fired amid Trump’s backing of convicted SEAL

US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer has been fired over his handling of the case of Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL convicted of battlefield misconduct in Iraq and later supported by President Donald Trump.

According to Press TV, Defense Secretary Mark Esper fired Spencer on Sunday after he along with his colleague Rear Adm. Collin Green threatened to quit if plans to hold a review to decide if Gallagher should be expelled in a war crimes case would be halted.

Esper also said Gallagher ought to be allowed to retain his Trident pin designating him as a SEAL, which could mean an end to the Navy’s efforts to conduct the review that could have forced him out of the elite force.

Gallagher, 40, was convicted in July of posing for pictures with a corpse of a Daesh militant during a 2017 deployment in Iraq.

He was, however, acquitted on several other charges, including murder of the militant and firing on unarmed civilians.

Trump publicly opposed taking away Gallagher’s Trident pin and vowed he would not allow him to be expelled from the commando force.

In November, the White House said Trump had restored Gallagher’s rank and pardoned two other Army officers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Following Esper’s decision, Trump took to Twitter, saying Gallagher will retire with all of the honors he has.

“Eddie will retire peacefully with all of the honors that he has earned, including his Trident Pin,” Trump said on Twitter.

Gallagher called Trump a "true leader" in a statement obtained by The Washington Examiner, saying, "President Donald Trump, you have my deepest gratitude and thanks."

"You stepped in numerous times and showed true moral fiber by correcting all the wrongs that were being done to me."

Trump also said he was nominating Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite as the new Secretary of the Navy.

ME