A frenzied few days of public statements and private jockeying ended Sunday as Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer was forced out over his role in the drama surrounding Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL.
How many more rogue members of the military will tRump pardon to create his personal protection force?
Lesson from history. Caligula, Nero, and Commodus all did fairly well until they messed with the Praetorian Guard.
U.S. Navy: October 13, 1775- November 24, 2019.
He is just pardoning people Fox news talks about.
Spencer trumps Esper, the sycophant.
Showing that he is prepared to pardon people who have engaged in serious criminal or unethical behavior likely has fringe benefits for Mr. Trump…
Why anyone let alone a republican would supply trump is really hard for me to wrap my head around.
I admire the Navy Sec’s letter that skewers trump.
I admire that everyone despises Trump so much that they’ve pre-written scathing resignation letters.
He had that letter on file?
Eekk.!
Seriously, this story is so confusing that I am not sure which one of them is the sycophant. I read it the other way around
Sloppy that, … He could a used a sharpie.
And the date is on the wrong side of the page…then again this letter is in sharp contrast to the comments of the SEAL who is at the root of this. If HE had any honor he’d fall on his sword as well.
Nannybot is hovering over this thread…
The way I’m thinking it went is Spencer tried to smooth things over behind the scenes, but Trump threw a fit because he finds sadistic murderers strangely arousing (this is speculation will check my notes later) and didn’t like pushback in any form and Esper’s only option was to fire Spencer or resign himself. Once Spencer had nothing to lose he figured he might as well say what he really thought.
This is a symptom of a facet of Trump’s personality that really creeps me out: he has a fascination with warmongering, burly, lethal people that seems to be more like voyeuristic adulation. He almost reactively takes the side of the anyone who can legally cause bodily harm on someone else. It creeps me out.
Add another honorable man to the Trump hit list. This guy spent his life in service to the Country ( 6 years as a Marine officer ) and rose to where he was. Who’s this asshole Trump butt kisser that “lost confidence” in him? How in the hell does one military guy destroy another’s life of honorable service to please a fucking draft dodger? How can you do that?
Would have been a little jarring if you had said “RIP.”
Anyway, I think you may be over-stating the case.
Against guidance from the Pentagon, Trump reinstated Gallagher’s rank after he was demoted as punishment for the photo. Trump pardoned two other soldiers, one who was in jail on war crimes charges and one who was scheduled for a murder trial next year.
This is a complete disgrace, I agree with you, but, as you know, the Navy is not just taking it.
Let’s see what happens.
I honestly don’t understand this bit from the New York Times
A senior Defense Department official said Mr. Spencer was also pursuing the side deal with the White House, unbeknown to either Mr. Esper or General Milley. Mr. Spencer, the official said, told White House officials that if Mr. Trump allowed the disciplinary process to go forward, Mr. Spencer would see to it that Chief Gallagher was not ousted from the Navy SEALs in the end.
So… he’d be able to keep retired SEAL status? Ejected from the Navy, but with a Trident pin?
