Navy secretary denies threatening to resign over Trump's intervention in Eddie Gallagher case

Nicholas Wu | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption VP Mike Pence speaks in Iraq on US troops, Iraq PM phoner US Vice President Mike Pence made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Saturday in the highest-level American trip since President Donald Trump ordered a pullback of US forces in Syria two months ago. (Nov. 23)

Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer denied reports he threatened to resign over President Donald Trump's intervention in the Navy's disciplinary proceedings against Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL who had been demoted over a war crimes charge.

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm still here. I did not threaten to resign," he said at a defense conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday. "But let us just say we're here to talk about external threats, and Eddie Gallagher is not one of them."

Reports in the New York Times and NBC News said the secretary had threatened to resign if Trump went forward with his plans to stop the Navy from demoting Gallagher.

"The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin," Trump tweeted on Thursday, referring to the symbol of SEAL membership. "This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!"

Trump's intervention: Donald Trump says he will block military from removing Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher

Last week, Trump restored Gallagher's rank and pay. Gallagher had been accused of using a knife to kill an Islamic State prisoner and of killing civilians, but in July, he was found not guilty of the most serious charges.

Gallagher was found guilty of posing for a photo with a human casualty.

Despite Trump's restoration of his rank and pay, the Navy said it would review his status, a process that could have resulted in his expulsion from the SEALs.

Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook