Sec. Hegseth to remove security detail, clearance for retired Gen. Milley: Report

Jan 28

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Senior defense officials say newly sworn-in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will pull security detail and security clearance for retired Gen. Mark Milley, Fox News reports. Hegseth is also directing the acting inspector general to review whether there is enough evidence to strip Milley of a star in retirement for allegedly “undermining the chain of command” during President Donald Trump’s first term, officials tell Fox News.

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Meanwhile, Pentagon officials will also remove all portraits of Milley. President Trump had one removed just two hours after his inauguration.

Milley –– along with other Trump aides from the president’s first term in office — has been living with his personal security detail after Trump ordered a drone strike in 2020, killing Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani. Iran vowed revenge for the killing.

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Author Bob Woodward wrote in his most recent book, “War,” that Gen. Milley told him in 2023 that he believed Trump was “fascist to the core.”

Milley reportedly held secret phone calls with Chinese officials. The reports say he reassured them that the U.S. military would not act against the country under Trump’s command.

Trump and his supporters viewed these actions as undermining the president. Trump posted to social media that Milley should be “executed” for “treason.”

Milley defended his actions, arguing that his priority was to ensure stability and national security, given the heightened tensions and uncertainty surrounding Trump’s final months in office during his first term. Milley’s critics, including Trump, argued that the general overstepped his role, accusing him of political motivations.

Milley served as Joint Chiefs chairman from 2019 to 2023 under Presidents Trump and Biden. He also served as Army chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 under Presidents Barack Obama and Trump.

Tags: Donald Trump, Mark Milley, Pete Hegseth, The Pentagon, U.S. Army

SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NEWLY SWORN-IN DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH WILL BE PULLING SECURITY DETAIL AND SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR RETIRED GENERAL MARK MILLEY, FOX NEWS REPORTS.

HEGSETH IS ALSO DIRECTING THE ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL TO REVIEW TO SEE IF THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO STRIP GEN. MILLEY OF A STAR IN RETIREMENT FOR ALLEGEDLY “UNDERMINING THE CHAIN OF COMMAND” DURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S FIRST TERM, OFFICIALS TELL FOX NEWS.

PENTAGON OFFICIALS WILL ALSO REMOVE ALL PORTRAITS OF GENERAL MILLEY.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD ONE REMOVED JUST TWO HOURS AFTER BEING INAUGURATED.

MILLEY – ALONG WITH OTHER TRUMP AIDES FROM THE PRESIDENT’S FIRST TERM IN OFFICE – HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THEIR OWN PERSONAL SECURITY DETAIL AFTER TRUMP ORDER A DRONE STRIKE IN 2020, KILLING IRANIAN MILITARY OFFICER QASEM SOLEIMANI. IRAN VOWED REVENGE FOR THE KILLING.

AUTHOR BOB WOODWARD WROTE IN HIS NEW BOOK TITLED “WAR” THAT GEN. MILLEY TOLD HIM IN 2023 THAT HE BELIEVED TRUMP WAS “FASCIST TO THE CORE.”

IT WAS REPORTED THAT MILLEY HELD SECRET PHONE CALLS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS TO REASSURE THEM THAT THE U.S. MILITARY WOULD NOT ACT AGAINST THEM UNDER TRUMP’S COMMAND.

TRUMP AND HIS SUPPORTERS VIEWED THESE ACTIONS AS UNDERMINING THE PRESIDENT AND TRUMP POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA THAT MILLEY WAS TREASONOUS.

MILLEY DEFENDED HIS ACTIONS, ARGUING THAT HIS PRIORITY WAS TO ENSURE STABILITY AND NATIONAL SECURITY, GIVEN THE HEIGHTENED TENSIONS AND UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING TRUMP’S FINAL MONTHS IN OFFICE DURING HIS FIRST TERM. MILLEY’S CRITICS, INCLUDING TRUMP, ARGUED THAT THE GENERAL OVERSTEPPED HIS ROLE, ACCUSING HIM OF BEING POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.

MILLEY SERVED AS JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN FROM 2019 TO 2023 UNDER BOTH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRESIDENT BIDEN, AND ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF FROM 2015 TO 2019 UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA AND TRUMP.