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Pentagon chief fires US Navy chief over SEAL scandal, says Gallagher to keep his Trident pin

US Navy Secretary Richard Spencer has been fired amid controversy over Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, which the White House has waded into. Siding with President Donald Trump, the Pentagon chief said Gallagher will keep his pin.
“I am deeply troubled by this conduct shown by a senior DOD official,” US Defense Secretary Mike Esper said in a statement Sunday, referring to Spencer’s handling of the Gallagher case.
“Unfortunately, as a result, I have determined that Secretary Spencer no longer has my confidence to continue in his position. I wish Richard well,” he added.
In a statement carried by the DOD, Esper is said to have been dissatisfied with the “lack of candor over the conversations with the White House” the Navy chief had behind his back.
Spencer attempted to persuade White House officials to talk Trump out of meddling in the Gallagher case shortly before the commander-in-chief fired back on Thursday tweeting that the “Navy will NOT be taking away” Gallagher’s Trident insignia, the Washington Post reported.
Esper was made aware of the fact during the conversation with Trump and Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Friday, the statement revealed.
Noting that the defense secretary was effectively blindsided by the Navy secretary, the Pentagon said that “disciplinary and fitness for duty actions… should be allowed to play itself out objectively and deliberately in fairness to all parties.”
Nevertheless, “given the events of the last few days,” Esper decided that Gallagher should keep his Trident pin, the statement reads.
Navy’s ‘insubordination’ to Trump?
Spencer’s firing comes on the heels of a vicious attack by Gallagher, the man at the center of the scandal, on Sunday. He claimed his superiors were seeking revenge, not justice, and accused them of “insubordination” to the US president.
Gallagher appeared on Fox & Friends on Sunday, sharing his views about his trial and the prospects of him getting kicked from the SEALs. The interview had been teased on Twitter by none other than Donald Trump, and Gallagher did not disappoint his commander-in-chief, launching a bitter attack on his Navy superiors.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1198574811678683137
Gallagher accused Spencer of “meddling” in his case, and Rear Adm. Collin Green of “showing complete insubordination” to Trump. He claimed that the Navy’s plan to carry out a Trident review – that might potentially result in his expulsion from the SEALs – “is all about ego and retaliation,” adding that all that he wanted now was to retire from the military in peace.
Gallagher was accused of committing war crimes during his 2017 deployment to Iraq – including shooting at civilians and stabbing a wounded prisoner – and was court-martialed a year later on seven charges. He was ultimately acquitted of all but one; the court found him guilty of taking a photo with a corpse and demoted him one rank.
The sentence, however, was challenged by Trump, who was a vocal supporter of Gallagher during and after his court-martial. Trump reinstated him in his rank last week while pardoning two other soldiers accused of committing war crimes.
source: Reuters
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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