Former Navy Secretary Richard Spencer wrote an op-ed explaining the decisions he made prior to being fired at the request of President Trump.
Spencer outlined his final weeks in the administration as he butted heads with Trump over how to handle the case of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was charged with war crimes after taking a photograph with the corpse of an ISIS fighter.
Trump pardoned Gallagher and was adamant that he be able to keep his status as a Navy SEAL and his Trident. Spencer, however, wanted Gallagher’s case to be reviewed by his peers under the customary procedure. Trump ordered Spencer to return Gallagher’s rank as chief, in a move the secretary called “unprecedented.”
“This was a shocking and unprecedented intervention in a low-level review. It was also a reminder that the president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices,” Spencer wrote in an op-ed to the Washington Post.
Without telling Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Spencer attempted to make a deal with the White House as to how they would handle the remaining questions about Gallagher’s case, including whether to allow him to keep the Trident.
“Given my desire to resolve a festering issue, I tried to find a way that would prevent the president from further involvement while trying all avenues to get Gallagher’s file in front of a peer-review board,” Spencer wrote, later adding, “I also began to work without personally consulting Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper on every step.”
Spencer conceded that his decision to sidestep Esper and work directly with the White House was not what he should have done.
“That was, I see in retrospect, a mistake for which I am solely responsible,” he wrote.
Spencer admitted fault, but he also jabbed the president in the conclusion of the piece by noting that he believes the world should know that the United States does not condone Gallagher’s actions.
“But we must keep fine-tuning those procedures to prevent a case such as this one from happening again. More importantly, Americans need to know that 99.9% of our uniformed members always have, always are and always will make the right decision,” Spencer wrote. “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.”
Esper fired Spencer on Sunday. Trump said he will nominate U.S. Ambassador to Norway Ken Braithwaite to replace him as secretary of the Navy.
