Demotion for Mark Milley – Hegseth Rips Away His Credentials, Security, Last Pic in Pentagon, May Take 1 Star in Official Demotion

In his first days at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is moving fast.

The Defense Department on Tuesday announced that retired Mark Milley, a retired four-star Army general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been stripped of both his security clearance and his taxpayer-funded security detail, according to Politico.

And while those amount to demotions in status for the career military man, a demotion in rank might be coming, too.

Hegseth, who was confirmed in a dramatic Senate vote late Friday, has also ordered an investigation into whether Milley went outside the chain of command with his actions during the first administration of President Donald Trump.

Milley has admitted to Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa that, in the waning months of the Trump administration, he communicated with his counterpart in the Chinese military without Trump’s knowledge.

In their book “Peril,” published in September 2021, Woodward and Costas wrote that Milley told the Chinese general, “We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you.”

He also said he’d warn the Chinese of any imminent U.S. attack.

While Milley confirmed and defended the calls publicly, then-former President Trump used the social media platform to brand the calls “TREASON.”

Hegseth’s investigation is expected to focus on whether Milley acted outside the chain of command. In the U.S. government, civilian control of the military — in the form of the president having ultimate authority over the men and women in uniform — is paramount, from the lowest privates to the highest offices in the Pentagon.

“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,” Pentagon Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said in a statement late Tuesday, according to Politico.

News that the actions were coming was broken by Fox News, which cited unidentified administration officials, prior to the official announcement.

Fox also reported that Hegseth will order the removal of a second (and last remaining) portrait of Milley from the Pentagon — one marking his service as Army chief of staff.

A first portrait of Milley — marking his tenure chairman of the Joint Chiefs — was removed on Jan. 20, within hours of Trump’s inauguration.

Fox also reported that Hegseth wants to probe whether Milley should be stripped of a star in his retirement years, meaning he would end up as a three-star general rather than four.

News of Hegseth’s actions stirred up a midweek storm on social media, with Trump opponents defending Milley, but Trump supporters stating the moves are well justified.

🚨SecDef Pete Hegseth has stripped Gen. Mark Milley’s security detail and security clearance

He may also be getting demoted

This is what he gets for committing Treason pic.twitter.com/IlpOGMWzyQ

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) January 28, 2025

Holy Moly!! This is so beautiful I could cry. lol

The pentagon pulling Mark Milley’s security detail and security clearance. pic.twitter.com/qVElOr7v5X

— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 29, 2025

🚨MASSIVE BREAKING:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has REVOKED General Mark Milley’s security detail and security clearance.

Hegseth is now planning on DEMOTING the General.

Hegseth also ordered the removal of all Pentagon portraits of Milley.

Total Humiliation pic.twitter.com/ZtKpzyw2n9

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 28, 2025

In one post, conservative commentator Benny Johnson summed up the moves succinctly, after listing Hegseth’s actions against Milley:

“Total Humiliation,” he wrote.

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