US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has fired Navy chief Richard Spencer over his handling of the case of a Navy Seal demoted for misconduct.
The case of Edward Gallagher, who was convicted for posing with a corpse, had sparked tensions between President Donald Trump and military officials.
The Navy officer had been due to face a disciplinary review where he could have been stripped of his Seals membership.
There have been differing accounts as to why Mr Spencer was asked to resign.
Mr Esper said he had lost confidence in the Navy secretary because his private conversations with the White House contradicted his public position.
However, Mr Trump said he was not happy with “cost overruns” and how Chief Petty Officer Gallagher’s trial was run, and suggested this was why Mr Spencer was fired.
Meanwhile, in a strongly-worded letter, Mr Spencer said it was apparent that he and Mr Trump did not have the same view of “good order and discipline”. (BBC)
