How Richard Spencer's firing illustrates some of Trump's most corrupt impulses
One key reason Donald Trumps presidency has been so damaging is that he has a way of corrupting all the people and institutions he comes in contact with, infecting them with his virus. No one remains untouched.
As the sudden firing of Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer shows, that includes the military. Spencers story also bears a remarkable resemblance to the Ukraine scandal, in the way people with their own agendas played on Trumps most repugnant impulses to manipulate him.
Spencers firing has its roots in the case of Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL who became a Fox News hero. Gallaghers long and complicated case began when members of his own unit accused him of a series of war crimes, including firing on civilians and murdering a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter receiving medical treatment from his unit.
Gallagher allegedly stabbed the wounded fighter multiple times, then took a picture with his corpse and texted it to friends, with the caption Got him with my hunting knife. He was also charged with covering up his crime by threatening to kill members of his platoon if they reported it. They did anyway.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/11/25/how-richard-spencers-firing-illustrates-some-trumps-most-corrupt-impulses/
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(34,661 posts)disaster,Pete Hegseth.