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(CNN) - In an extraordinary movement, the Pentagon chief "fired" the secretary of the Navy on Sunday for leaving his chain of command by proposing a "secret agreement with the White House," according to a senior defense official.
The agreement that led to the forced resignation of the Secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer, involved the case of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, one of the three service members facing charges of war crimes whose cases have caused unprecedented tension between the Pentagon and President Donald Trump.
Spencer seemed to be looking for a way to resolve a confrontation between the Pentagon and the White House on the Gallagher case, but competing narratives that emerged in the chaotic hours after Spencer's dismissal suggest the depth of the disorder, disconnection and discord. that persist
Trump suggested on Twitter that Spencer's dismissal had to do with cost overruns and the way Gallagher had been treated by the Navy. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he asked Spencer to resign because he had lost "confidence in him because of his lack of sincerity," according to a Pentagon spokesman.
- U.S. Secretary of the Navy He was "fired" for proposing a "secret agreement" with the White House, says senior defense official
And Spencer pointed directly to the president, suggesting that Trump was undermining the "key principle of good order and discipline" of the US Army by intervening in the Gallagher case.
"I cannot, in good conscience, obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I made in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the United States Constitution," Spencer wrote in his letter to the president acknowledging his dismissal.
Gallagher was found guilty of discrediting armed services after posing next to the body of a dead ISIS fighter, which goes against the rules. He was demoted for that crime and acquitted of a separate murder charge. After Trump reversed the degradation of Gallagher a week ago, military officials launched a formal review to determine if Gallagher was in a position to serve, a protocol established after a conviction. That review was expected to lead to his expulsion.
Gallagher issued a statement Sunday night thanking his family, legal team and supporters who ended up praising Trump.
“President Donald Trump has my deepest gratitude and thanks. You intervened on numerous occasions and showed a true moral fiber in correcting all the mistakes that had been made against me. You are a true leader and exactly what the military and this nation need, ”said Gallagher.
A surprising twist
Spencer's departure is the last shocking turn in a continuous confrontation between the Pentagon and Trump over Gallagher and the other two service members, a confrontation that seems to aggravate tensions between the president and the Democrats in Congress.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement Sunday night saying he had spoken to Spencer and offered his support.
"Secretary Spencer did the right thing and he should be proud to face President Trump when he was wrong, something that many in this administration and the Republican Party are afraid to do," Schumer said. "Good order, discipline and morality between the Armed Services must transcend politics, and Secretary Spencer's commitment to these principles will not be forgotten."
Trump intervened to reverse the sentences against the three members of the service, ignoring the Pentagon leaders who had told him that such a measure could damage the integrity of the military judicial system, the ability of military commanders to ensure good order and discipline, and the trust of US allies and partners that house US troops.
Trump made the intervention the day the Chamber launched the public investigation of political trial.
In the following days, tensions between the Pentagon and the White House were concentrated in Gallagher, whose cause had been addressed by Fox News personalities.
After military officials began the Gallagher review, Trump promised on Twitter that he would never allow the Navy to revoke Gallagher's membership in the elite group.
Spencer had publicly indicated that he felt the review should continue, and told the audience at the Halifax Security Forum in Nova Scotia, Canada, that "the process is important for good order and discipline."
Behind the scenes, he proposed to the White House that Gallagher's review be carried out, but offered a secret guarantee that Gallagher could maintain his status as a Navy SEAL, according to the senior Defense official.
The move prompted Esper's decision to request Spencer's resignation, according to Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman. The Defense official said Spencer's decision to bypass his chain of command, that is, skip to Esper, and go directly to the White House, was a violation of military policy.
In addition, Spencer's private request to restore Gallagher's rank and allow him to retire with his Trident badge contradicted his public position, according to the statement. The Trident badge, worn by the Navy SEALs, is awarded after completing an intense qualification course and symbolizes the membership of the elite military community.
"I am deeply concerned about this behavior shown by a senior DOD official [Department of Justice]," Esper said in the statement. “Unfortunately, as a result, I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position. I wish Richard the best. ”
The Washington Post reported for the first time that Esper requested Spencer's resignation.
"The rule of law is what distinguishes us"
In his letter, Spencer makes clear his deep discomfort with Trump's decisions, which many in the Pentagon have told CNN that goes directly against the discipline that makes the US Army an elite force. "The rule of law is what distinguishes us from our adversaries," Spencer wrote, calling the issue of discipline a "gravely deadly matter."
"Good order and discipline is what has allowed our victory against foreign tyranny over and over again," Spencer said, adding that the life of US service members "literally depends on the professional execution of our many missions." .
Current and former military officials say discipline is fundamental to the United States military spirit: that US forces are highly trained to operate in a legal and disciplined manner and if they are convicted of violations, they must be punished.
Beyond the impact on the military judicial process, “there could be an impact on military leaders and their ability to enact measures of good order and discipline. There could also be a potential crisis of confidence in the countries in which we are operating, ”said CNN diplomatic and military analyst John Kirby, a retired admiral who has served as a spokesman for the Pentagon and the State Department.
One reason why US troops are as welcome as they are throughout the world is because host nations “know that the US Army administers itself according to a very strict justice code and we have a very good track record of hold those troops accountable, ”Kirby said, even for minor troubles such as“ drunk driving abroad or getting into a fight in a bar. ”
The top Defense official said Esper learned about Spencer's talks with the White House on Friday, but Spencer's proposal was never approved.
When Spencer made his comments over the weekend at the Halifax International Security Forum, Esper felt that "his public statements did not match" with what he had been doing privately, according to the official.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that Spencer and Rear Admiral Collin Green, the admiral who oversees the SEALs, threatened to resign for Trump's possible intervention. Spencer denied later Saturday that he or Green made such a threat.
Esper has decided that Gallagher would now maintain his status because "he has little confidence that Gallagher will now receive a fair shake from the Navy," the official told CNN. Gallagher is now expected to retire from the Navy on November 30.
- Zachary Cohen of CNN contributed to this report.
Donald Trump