Portrait of Gen. Mark Milley Removed from Pentagon Wall Just Hours After Trump Inauguration
A portrait of Mark Milley, the retired general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was preemptively pardoned by former President Biden on Monday morning, was removed from the Pentagon wall just hours after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Reports indicate that the portrait was taken down less than two hours after Trump was sworn in at noon. A Defense Department official declined to comment when approached by USA TODAY.
Milley, a four-star general with over 40 years of military service, was appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking military officer in the United States, by President Trump in 2018. However, he drew Trump's ire by openly criticizing his role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and by contacting China to reassure them that Trump would not launch an attack.
Hours before leaving office, President Biden issued a pardon for Mark Milley, anticipating that Donald Trump might pursue criminal charges against him.
For years, Trump has expressed strong disdain for Milley, who served in his administration, accusing him of disloyalty and implying he is a "wannabe dictator" due to Milley’s criticism of Trump’s response to the January 6 insurrection.
In September, Milley revealed he had increased security measures for himself and his family after Trump labeled him a traitor in a Truth Social post and suggested he deserved to be executed. This accusation stemmed from calls Milley made to Chinese officials in 2021, assuring them that the U.S. had no intention of launching an attack.
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