Retired Adm. William McRaven, the former head of Special Operations Command, resigned from the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Board (DIB) on Aug. 20 — days after his stinging rebuke of President Donald Trump, Defense News reported Thursday.
His resignation was sparked by the president's revocation of the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan.
"Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation," McRaven wrote in the op-ed. "If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be."
McRaven's photo has been removed from the DIB website, and Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, confirmed his resignation.
"The Department appreciates his service and contribution on the board," Baldanza said.
Created by then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter in 2016, the DIB is made up primarily of tech thinkers from outside the military, Defense News reported.
While former Alphabet head Eric Schmidt and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson helped gain attention to the board, it benefited early by the presence of McRaven, who remained well-respected within the department, Defense News reported.
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