U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the personal security detail and security clearance of Gen. Mark Milley and ordered a probe into the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon announced Tuesday, in a move that targets one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics—who once described him as a “fascist to the core.”
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley awaits the start of a hearing with the ... [+]
In a statement to several news outlets, Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot said Milley was informed about the defense secretary’s decision earlier on Tuesday.
Hegseth has also ordered the Department of Defense's inspector general to review the “facts and circumstances surrounding Gen. Milley’s conduct” and whether it may be appropriate to lower the four-star general’s military rank.
In a statement, Hegseth’s chief of staff Joe Kasper said: “Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority” for the DOD under the Trump administration.
According to Fox News, which first reported the development, the Defense Department will take down a portrait of Milley—honoring his service as the chief-of-staff of the Army—inside the Pentagon after removing another portrait of him last week.
Milley’s biography page on the Department of Defense’s website also appeared to be offline at the time of publishing, even though his predecessor’s page remained accessible.
This is a developing story.