Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to “immediately withdraw” the personal security detail and security clearance of retired General Mark Milley, as reported by Fox News, which cites multiple senior administration officials. Hegseth will also instruct the newly appointed acting Inspector General to convene a review board to assess whether there is sufficient evidence to consider revoking Milley’s rank in retirement due to his actions perceived as “undermining the chain of command” during President Trump’s initial term.
Furthermore, the Pentagon plans to remove a second portrait of Milley, which honors his tenure as chief of staff of the army. This portrait is currently located in the Army’s Marshall Corridor on the third floor of the building. Its removal could occur as soon as Tuesday evening, resulting in no portraits of Milley remaining on display at the Pentagon. A different portrait of Milley was taken down on January 20, shortly after President Trump’s inauguration.
Milley, along with several other senior aides and advisors from the Trump administration, was assigned personal security details following the assassination of Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Iran has threatened retaliation for the strikes, which also resulted in the death of a prominent Shiite militia leader in Iraq.
The Trump Administration has also initiated the withdrawal of personal security details for former National Security Advisor John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both of whom have publicly criticized Trump on various occasions. When questioned about the decision to revoke the clearances, Trump stated that government officials should not receive lifetime security, noting that all those affected have “made a lot of money” and are capable of hiring their own security.
A senior administration official remarked that there is a new era of accountability within the Defense Department under President Trump’s leadership, which aligns with the expectations of the American public.
During the concluding two months of Trump’s presidency in 2020, Milley communicated with his Chinese counterpart and cautioned them that he would not execute Trump’s directives if ordered to initiate military action against China. As detailed in the book “Peril” by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, Milley reportedly engaged in open collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party, despite the absence of any military strike plans from Trump.
In another work by Woodward, he recounted a conversation with Milley in 2023, during which Milley characterized then-President Trump as a “fascist to the core.” This remark was purportedly made while he was still in uniform, serving as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In the final week of his administration, President Biden chose to grant Milley a preemptive pardon.
