@alextdaugherty

Sen. Marco Rubio is asking the U.S. Army to decommission an officer who posted pro-communist statements and photos on social media.

In a letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, Rubio said that the Army should consider revoking Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapone's West Point degree and force him to pay back his government-funded education at the nation's preeminent military training school.

"While I strongly believe academic institutions must respect the exchange of ideas and allow students to voice their opinions, members of the military who harbor anti-American views and express their desire to harm our country and its leaders are unfit to serve and defend our nation—and certainly should not enjoy the privilege of attending or graduating from an institution such as West Point, a taxpayer-funded military academy," Rubio wrote.

In late September, Rapone posted photos in his military uniform that showed him wearing a hat with the slogan "communism will win" underneath his hat and a Che Guevara t-shirt underneath his uniform.

His twitter account is now protected.



Rapone also called Secretary of Defense James Mattis "the most vile, evil f--- in the current administration" in a June tweet.

"Rapone has publicly and vulgarly derided the secretary of defense, advocated for communism while in uniform and political violence in general, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States, including Chelsea Manning, a convicted traitor. This clearly violates multiple Army regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice," Rubio said.

The letter asks McCarthy to respond within 30 days.