WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has revoked security protections and clearance for General Mark Milley, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This decision also includes the initiation of a review by the Pentagon’s inspector general to assess Milley’s actions while he was the highest-ranking military officer in the United States, determining whether a demotion is justified.
According to Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot, the inspector general’s investigation will scrutinize the facts surrounding Milley’s conduct during his service, enabling the Secretary to decide if it is necessary to revisit his military grade review determination. “The Secretary informed General Milley today that he is revoking the authorization for his security detail and suspending his security clearance as well,” Ullyot stated on Tuesday.
Milley held the chairman position during the first term of President Donald Trump. Their relationship initially appeared to be strong, but tensions escalated as Milley attempted to advise the president on multiple matters. He notably opposed Trump’s proposal to deploy the military domestically to suppress protests following George Floyd’s death and faced significant backlash in 2021 after independently contacting his Chinese counterpart, which Trump condemned as treasonous. However, Milley defended these communications as standard operational procedure.
In his final remarks as chairman, made shortly after Trump left office, Milley was frank about his views on the former president, stating, “We don’t take an oath to a king or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator. We don’t take an oath to an individual. We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we’re willing to die to protect it.”
There remains uncertainty about whether President Biden’s unusual preemptive pardon of Milley will preserve his military status or influence the outcomes of the inspector general’s review. Hegseth noted in a Wednesday interview with Fox News that the pardon fell within Biden’s authority, but the Department of Defense retains the right to investigate Milley’s actions during Trump’s presidency, particularly those that may have compromised command authority.
Milley had expressed gratitude to Biden for the pardon issued during the latter’s last days in office, declaring, “I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights.”
Joe Kasper, Hegseth’s chief of staff, stated that the revocation of Milley’s clearance and security detail was essential due to the harmful impact of undermining command structures, emphasizing accountability as a key priority for the Defense Department under Trump’s oversight.
Notably, Milley received security measures following Trump’s order to carry out a military strike that resulted in the death of Iranian General Qassim Soleimani. US intelligence indicates that Iran remains eager to retaliate for Soleimani’s assassination, with recent assessments affirming ongoing threats to Milley’s safety.
Trump’s administration had similarly revoked security clearances for other officials from his tenure, such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, his senior adviser Brian Hook, and former national security adviser John Bolton, citing their exposure to threats from Iran.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that regarding Milley, the president’s stance mirrors that on Bolton and other former officials: he maintains that these individuals should not retain security clearances and private security for life, especially considering taxpayer funding and the financial means of those being discussed.
The actions against Milley, first reported by Fox News, also included the removal of his portrait as Army chief of staff from the Pentagon; the wall where it once hung is now visible with only the fastener holes remaining. A separate portrait of Milley as chairman was decommissioned mere hours after Trump assumed office. The removal of former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper’s portrait was also executed, with similar remnants left on the wall.
These portraits, funded by the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), were intended to honor distinguished service and were not paid for by taxpayer dollars. The AUSA has contributed funds for portraits of outgoing Army leaders and Joint Chiefs chairmen for three decades. Current portraits of former Defense Secretaries Mattis and Esper, however, remain displayed in the Pentagon.
