Page 6 - aruba-today-20191125

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 25 noveMber 2019

Official says White House gave Navy go-ahead on Gallagher

By ROBERT BURNS the SEALs.
ROB GILLIES "I need a formal order
Associated Press to act," Spencer said. Of
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump's tweets, "I don't in-
Navy has been notified terpret them as a formal
that the White House will order."
not intervene to stop a dis- Trump tweeted Thursday
ciplinary proceeding that that the Navy "will NOT be
could cost a SEAL his posi- taking away Warfighter
tion in the elite unit, a senior and Navy SEAL Eddie Gal-
Navy official said Sunday. lagher's Trident Pin," insert-
Although President Don- ing himself into the ongoing
ald Trump had tweeted legal review of the sailor's
on Thursday that he would ability to hold onto the pin
not let the Navy remove that designates him a SEAL.
Chief Petty Officer Edward The Navy on Wednesday
Gallagher from the SEALs, had notified Gallagher
the Navy was given White that he will face the review
House guidance on Friday board to determine if he
that it can proceed as should remain on the elite
planned, the Navy official force.
said. The official spoke on Gallagher was acquitted
condition of anonymity to of a murder charge in the
discuss internal matters. stabbing death of an Islam-
This would seem to have In this July 2, 2019, file photo, Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher leaves a military ic State militant captive,
defused a conflict be- court on Naval Base San Diego. but a military jury convict-
tween the president and Associated Press ed him of posing with the
Navy leaders, although corpse while in Iraq in 2017.
it remained possible that charged Gallagher case, an international security fo- order to stop the Navy re- He was demoted from
Trump could still use his despite assurances re- rum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, view board, scheduled to chief petty officer to a 1st
authority as commander ceived by the Navy. that he did not consider a begin Dec. 2, that would class petty officer. Trump
in chief to intervene in Navy Secretary Richard tweet by Trump an order determine whether Galla- this month restored Galla-
the volatile and politically Spencer said Saturday at and would need a formal gher is allowed to remain in gher's rank.q
Former Iowa governor says Biden has 'heart of a president'

By THOMAS BEAUMONT mand of domestic and Vilsack, who noted Biden's
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — global issues at a time when outreach after Vilsack's six-
In endorsing Democrat Joe events demand "you can't year old granddaughter
Biden for president on Sat- be a rookie in this business. died in 2017 from compli-
urday, former Iowa Gov. You've got to be a pro." cations of influenza.
Tom Vilsack said, above all, More fundamentally, the The endorsement comes
the former vice president's death of Biden's first wife as Biden has slipped from
personal losses give him and infant daughter in a being the early favorite in
"the capacity to comfort" car accident in 1972 and Iowa last spring to trailing
and "the need to heal" a his son Beau's death from newcomers, South Bend
divided nation. cancer in 2015 have given Mayor Pete Buttigieg and
Vilsack, who served eight Biden a deep sense of suf- Massachusetts Sen. Eliza-
years in the Obama ad- fering important to under- beth Warren.
ministration with Biden as standing the day-to-day Biden is embarking on an
secretary of agriculture, struggles, and personal eight-day bus tour next
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe said during a morning rally pain, of many Americans. week, in hopes of spark-
Biden speaks during a town hall meeting, Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, in Des Moines that Biden He is "a man with empathy, ing momentum with fewer
in Winterset, Iowa. could step into the office and a man who has the than two months until the
Associated Press with an immediate com- heart of a president," said caucuses.q