Navy plans to strip SEAL's Trident, banish him from elite commando community
WASHINGTON – The Navy plans to review the status of Chief Edward Gallagher, the Navy SEAL accused of war crimes whose demotion was reversed last week by President Donald Trump, a Defense official said Wednesday.
The Navy's decision will likely result in Gallagher being ousted from the elite commando community.
On Friday, Trump intervened in three war crimes cases, issuing pardons to two soldiers and restoring Gallagher's rank and pay. Gallagher is the Navy SEAL accused of using a knife to kill a teenage Islamic State prisoner in Iraq, and killing other civilians.
A military court found Gallagher not guilty of the most serious charges in July but convicted him of posing for a photo with the victim.
The Navy will also begin a similar process for three officers who had supervised Gallagher, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly. All four could lose their "Tridents," the symbol of belonging to the SEALs, the Navy's renowned special operations troops who conduct counterterrorism missions around the world.
Gallagher's attorney, Timothy Parlatore, vowed to fight to keep Gallagher's Trident.
Rear Adm. Collin Green, the Navy SEAL commander, has authorized the process that would strip the SEALs of their tridents, the official said.
Green has the support of the Navy's top sailor, Adm. Mike Gilday.
“Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, supports his commanders in executing their roles, to include Rear Adm. Green,” said Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, Gilday's spokesman.
Parlatore said Green had committed an "act of insubordination" by substituting his judgment for Trump's in seeking to discipline Gallagher.
"We're going to contest this hearing," Parlatore said.
Trump also pardoned Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, who had been serving a 19-year sentence for ordering soldiers to fire on unarmed Afghan civilians, two of whom died. He also granted a pardon to Maj. Matthew Golsteyn, who was charged with killing suspected a bombmaker.
Trump has described the troops as heroes operating in difficult circumstances, and some conservative commentators had rallied to their cause. Critics say the pardons set a bad precedent, signaling the U.S. won't honor military conventions and international law.
Gallagher's fellow SEALs became so disturbed with his killings of civilians that they tampered with his sniper rifle to make it less accurate, and would also fire warning shots at civilians to prevent Gallagher from shooting at them, according to prosecutors.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Navy wants to banish Edward Gallagher, SEAL who was cleared by Trump