Well, well, well—looks like the “new era of accountability” under President Trump is off to a strong start, and at least one retired general is feeling the heat. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is wasting no time in making it clear that undermining the commander-in-chief has consequences, as multiple sources confirm that former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley is losing both his personal security detail and his security clearance.
And that’s not all—Hegseth is also launching an official review into whether Milley should be stripped of a star in retirement for his actions during Trump’s first term. If that sounds like a serious step, that’s because it is. For years, Milley has been at the center of controversy, particularly regarding his conduct at the highest levels of the military chain of command. Now, it looks like those actions are coming back to haunt him.
But perhaps the most symbolic move of all? The Pentagon is erasing Milley’s presence from its walls. His second and final portrait—hanging in the Army’s Marshall Corridor—is coming down tonight. This follows the swift removal of his first portrait on Inauguration Day, which was unceremoniously taken down within two hours of Trump retaking the oath of office. That means there will be exactly zero pictures of Milley inside the Pentagon, a clear message that the new administration isn’t exactly celebrating his legacy.
This marks a stark contrast from just a few years ago when Milley was hailed as a steady hand within the military establishment. His tenure, however, was riddled with controversy. From openly defying Trump’s calls to quell riots in the summer of 2020 to making secret calls to China behind the president’s back—actions that some might call outright insubordination—Milley became a hero to the D.C. establishment and the mainstream media, but a growing liability within the ranks.
If anyone had any doubts about where Milley stood politically, Bob Woodward’s War erased them completely. In the book, Milley is quoted calling Trump “fascist to the core,” a rather stunning comment from a military officer who was still serving in uniform at the time. Woodward also claimed Milley had “concerns” about Trump’s mental stability and nuclear control—concerns that conveniently made their way into the press at just the right time.
Yet, let’s not forget, this is the same Mark Milley whom Trump publicly praised in 2019 after the successful U.S. raid that took down the leader of ISIS. At one point, Milley was seen as an ally in executing Trump’s foreign policy goals. But as time went on, his willingness to play politics—and play footsie with the D.C. media machine—made it clear where his loyalties truly were.
The kicker? Joe Biden gave Milley a pardon before leaving office, which tells you everything you need to know about the former general’s standing with the previous administration. Now, under Trump, Milley’s legacy is being rapidly erased, his access revoked, and his actions scrutinized.
🚨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
Naturally, the media will frame this as “Trump’s revenge tour” or some kind of political purge, but let’s be real—actions have consequences. Undermining the chain of command, making secret calls to foreign adversaries, and openly smearing the commander-in-chief while in uniform might have earned Milley praise from CNN, but it was never going to fly in a Trump-led Pentagon.
Secretary of Defense Pere Hegseth pulled General Mark Milley’s security detail.
Hegseth also ordered a review to potentially strip Milley of a star for undermining the chain of command during President Trump’s first term. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/H82ieTTiUN
— Eddie (@Eddies_X) January 29, 2025
And now, Milley will just have to watch from the sidelines as his portrait—once a symbol of establishment military power—is taken down for good.