Defense secretary pulls Trump critic Gen. Milley's security clearance and protective detail

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/milley-trump-security-detail-clearance-9bc8ebb7cd7cd2c334d00c97d4c142d0

Defense secretary pulls Trump critic Gen. Milley’s security clearance and protective detail
By TARA COPP
Updated 3:49 AM CST, January 29, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pulling the security protections and clearance of retired Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Mark Milley, and has ordered the Pentagon’s inspector general to review Milley’s actions while serving as the nation’s top uniformed officer to determine if a demotion is warranted, two defense officials confirmed late Tuesday.

The inspector general review will include “an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen Milley’s conduct so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination,” said Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot.

“The Secretary informed General Milley today that he is revoking the authorization for his security detail and suspending his security clearance as well,” he said.

Milley served as chairman during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. While the relationship initially went well, it soured deeply and fast, as Milley tried to advise and contain the president on a host of issues.


...

[Lonestarblue]

1. Trump is hoping the Proud Boys domestic terrorists he freed will kill people who criticized him.

[sop]

2. Wonder how Milley's many friends and former colleagues over at the DoD are reacting to this?

[MiniMe]

3. The cruelty is the issue

Bastards

[Tickle]

4. Apparently, success was not his revenge

Trump is a revengeful disgusting MF.

[Journeyman]

5. All with the intent to make future critics think twice before speaking about Dear Leader . . .

n/t

[Happy Hoosier]

6. I would contribute a legal fund for Milley....

If they attempt to punish him, he should sue. I would help contribute to that for sure.

[Ocelot II]

7. Trump doesn't need to create a formal, official SS like Hitler did.

He's got the Proud Boys and the Oaf Keepers and other agents of stochastic terrorism who will do his bidding without him getting his hands dirty or having to pay them. "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

[Arazi]

8. A petty and a stupid move by Hegseth

Removing Milley’s portrait was silly and petty but this bullshit ramps things up. Milley is actually very well respected by the military. This latest move alienates potential Pentagon allies right off the bat, all of whom are well aware that Traitor put a bullseye on Milley’s back. Stripping him of a star would be a travesty and would cement real enemies for Hegseth.

I suspect Hegseth will try to curry more favor with dear leader by dragging Milley into a court martial.

They need to make examples of “disloyal” generals and I fear Milley is in for a bad stretch

[sop]

9. This is all Trump, it's the sort of petty bullshit he enjoys.

[Passages]

10. Wow, this is very bad news.

[Tickle]

11. This isn't going to end well,

is it?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Team Trump's revenge tour now includes retired Gen. Mark Milley

On the one hand, Team Trump is launching legally dubious power grabs and wreaking havoc. On the other hand, these guys have no idea what they’re doing.

For a while, Trump was content to go after retired Gen. Mark Milley with juvenile taunts and name-calling.

As Team Trump pulls Milley's security clearance and targets his rank, it's vastly worse now. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-01-29T16:48:01.160Z

For a while, Trump was content to go after retired Gen. Mark Milley with juvenile taunts and name-calling.

As Team Trump pulls Milley's security clearance and targets his rank, it's vastly worse now.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/team-trumps-revenge-tour-now-includes-retired-gen-mark-milley-rcna189793

Within hours of his presidential inauguration, Trump complained publicly about the pardon his former handpicked chairman of the joint chiefs of staff received. Soon after, the White House directed the Pentagon to take down a portrait of Milley. The next morning, the Republican president fired Milley from an advisory panel.

Each of those steps were, of course, petty and largely inconsequential. They left little doubt that the retired general was on Trump’s mind, but the moves did little more than make the president look small.

They were, however, just the initial steps from Team Trump. NBC News reported:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley that he is revoking his security detail and clearance and ordering a review of the retired general’s conduct to see whether his rank should be re-evaluated, the Pentagon said. Hegseth, whose first day at the Pentagon was Monday, directed the Defense Department’s inspector general to look into ‘the facts and circumstances’ surrounding Milley’s conduct ‘so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination,’ Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot said.

For good measure, according to multiple published reports, the Pentagon is also taking down a different Milley portrait, recognizing him as a former chief of staff of the Army.

Link to tweet

.....Obviously, the retired general has become the latest target in Team Trump’s post-inaugural revenge tour, but just as notable is the broader message to everyone else: If you anger the president, you too may find yourself facing the kind of fury that Milley is facing now.

In the run-up to the 2024 elections, the former chairman of the joint chiefs reportedly told Bob Woodward that he believes Trump is “a fascist to the core.” That assessment appears unlikely to change anytime soon.