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U.S. NEWS Monday 25 noveMber 2019

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Pentagon chief fires Navy secretary over SEAL controversy

By ROBERT BURNS politically charged contro- class petty officer. Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — De- versy involving Navy Chief this month restored Galla-
fense Secretary Mark Esper Petty Officer Edward Gal- gher's rank.
on Sunday fired the Navy's lagher. On Wednesday the In a statement issued by
top official for allegedly Navy had notified Galla- Hoffman, Esper said he had
proposing a deal with the gher that he would face a lost "trust and confidence"
White House behind Esper's Navy SEAL review board to in Spencer after learning
back to resolve the matter determine if he should be that the Navy secretary
of a Navy SEAL whose case allowed to remain in the had "privately" proposed
has been championed by elite force. to the White House to al-
President Donald Trump. Gallagher was acquitted low Gallagher to retire in his
At Esper's request, Navy of a murder charge in the current rank and without
Secretary Richard Spen- stabbing death of an Islam- losing his status as a SEAL.
cer submitted his resigna- ic State militant captive, Esper said that in previous
tion Sunday, said the chief but a military jury convict- conversations with Spencer
spokesman for the Penta- ed him of posing with the about the Gallagher mat- In a Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 file photo, U.S. Navy Secretary Richard
gon, Jonathan Hoffman. corpse while in Iraq in 2017. ter, Spencer had not told Spencer speaks at a news conference as he pays his first visit to
The firing was a dramatic He was demoted from Esper of his proposal to the Bath Iron Works, a shipbuilding facility in Bath, Maine.
turn in a fast-changing and chief petty officer to a 1st White House.q Associated Press