Trump-backed Navy SEAL commando Eddie Gallagher on Sunday attacked his chain of command, charging Navy Secretary Richard Spencer "was meddling in my case."
In a startling interview on Fox News' "Fox & Friends Sunday," which President Donald Trump earlier Sunday had encouraged people to watch in an early morning tweet, the chief petty officer — facing the possibility of losing his status as a member of the elite SEALs — also slammed Rear Adm. Collin Green, the Naval Special Warfare commander, as "showing complete insubordination" to Trump.
"This is all about ego and retaliation," Gallagher said. "This has nothing to do with good order and discipline. They could have taken my Trident at any time they wanted. Now they're trying to take it after the president restored my rank."
The New York Times reported Saturday that Spencer and Green, who leads the SEALs, had threatened to resign or be fired if plans to expel Gallagher are halted. Spencer told reporters he has not threatened to resign, but he also does not consider the president's tweets about Gallagher an order — and would need a formal order to stop a review.
Trump insisted last Thursday the Navy "will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher's Trident Pin," inserting himself into an ongoing legal review of the sailor's ability to hold onto the pin that designates him a SEAL.
"All the corruption going on during my case," Gallagher told "Fox & Friends Sunday."
"Just recently we come up more evidence that will be exposing next week that the secretary of the Navy was actually meddling in my case and trying to get organizations not to support me while I was incarcerated."
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