Pentagon officials have reportedly confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has informed Retired General Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that he is revoking both his security detail and security clearance. Pentagon officials also indicated that Hegseth is ordering a review to determine if Milley should be demoted in his retirement.
According to NBC News, John Ullyot, a Pentagon spokesman, said that Hegseth has ordered the Department of Defense’s inspector general to examine “the facts and circumstances” regarding Milley’s actions “so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination.”
Politico reported that Milley, who is a retired four-star general, could be demoted to a retired three-star general as a result of the inspector general’s investigation ordered by Hegseth.
In a statement obtained by NBC News, Pentagon Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said, “Undermining the chain of command is corrosive to our national security, and restoring accountability is a priority for the Defense Department under President Trump’s leadership.”
READ MORE: Trump fires Ret. Gen. Mark Milley in purge of 1,000+ Biden appointees
On Tuesday, Fox News reported that senior administration officials had confirmed that Hegseth was preparing to announce that he would be “immediately pulling” both Milley’s security detail and security clearance.
Milley had received a security detail due to his involvement in the Trump administration’s drone strike in 2020 that killed Qasem Soleimani, a top leader in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Fox News.
According to Fox News, the Department of Defense will also be removing a second portrait of Milley from the Pentagon following the first portrait that was removed just a couple hours after President Donald Trump’s inauguration last Monday. While the first portrait honored Milley’s service as the top military official in the United States, the second portrait, which has been featured in the Army’s Marshall Corridor, honored Milley’s prior service as the Army’s chief of staff.
The removal of Milley’s security detail and security clearance comes after the retired general served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2023. While Milley initially served under the Trump administration, Milley has repeatedly sparred with the president.
According to The Guardian, Milley previously described Trump as “the most dangerous person ever” and “a fascist to the core.” NBC News reported that Milley also called Gen. Li Zuocheng, the leader of China’s military, during the final months of Trump’s first administration to assure Chinese officials that the U.S. was not preparing for war against China.
