Richard V. Spencer
Richard V. Spencer | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| 76thUnited States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office August 3, 2017 – November 24, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Thomas Modly |
| Preceded by | Sean Stackley |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Braithwaite |
| ActingUnited States Deputy Secretary of Defense | |
| In office July 24 – July 31, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | David Norquist(acting) |
| Succeeded by | David Norquist |
| ActingUnited States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office July 15 – July 23, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | David Norquist(acting) |
| Preceded by | Mark Esper(acting) |
| Succeeded by | Mark Esper |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Vaughn Spencer January 18, 1954 Waterbury, Connecticut,U.S. |
| Political party | Republican[1] |
| Education | Rollins College(BA) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1976–1981 |
| Rank | Captain |
| *Thomas Modlyserved in an acting capacity from July 15 to July 31, 2019, while Spencer served as Acting Secretary and then Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense. | |
Richard Vaughn Spencer(born January 18, 1954) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 76thUnited States Secretary of the Navyfrom August 3, 2017, to November 24, 2019. While serving as Secretary of the Navy, he also briefly served as ActingUnited States Secretary of Defense(July 15 to July 23, 2019) and ActingUnited States Deputy Secretary of Defense(July 24 to July 31, 2019).[2]Spencer served in theU.S. Marine Corpsfrom 1976 to 1981 as aMarine Aviator.He was Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer ofIntercontinental Exchange(IEX) from November 2001 to January 2008.
On November 24, 2019,Secretary of DefenseMark Esperrequested Spencer's resignation due to his handling of theEddie Gallaghercase, specifically that Spencer did not observe the chain of command.[3]
Early life
[edit]Born in 1954 in Waterbury, Connecticut,[4]Spencer attendedRollins Collegeas an undergraduate, majoring in economics. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a Marine Aviator from 1976 to 1981. While in the Marines, he was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161,VMM-161,Marine Aircraft Group 16with the callsign "Chowder".
Career
[edit]After leaving the Marines with the rank of captain, Spencer worked in financial services for 15 years, holding positions atGoldman Sachs,Bear Stearns,Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette,A. G. Becker,Paine WebberandMerrill Lynch.Spencer served on theDefense Business Board,a Pentagon advisory panel, from 2009 to 2015 and on theChief of Naval OperationsExecutive Panel.[5]During his time on the Defense Business Board, he proposed shutting down domestic military commissaries in favor of negotiated military discounts at public retailers.[6]
Secretary of the Navy
[edit]In June 2017, PresidentDonald Trumpnominated Spencer to serve as the 76thUnited States Secretary of the Navy.[7][8][9]Spencer was confirmed by theUnited States Senateon August 1, 2017.[10]He was sworn in on August 3, 2017,[11]and served until November 24, 2019.[12]
On July 15, 2019, Spencer took on the duties of acting Secretary of Defense and expected "to continue to serve in this role until a Secretary of Defense nominee is confirmed by the Senate and assumes office. At that time, I will continue to serve as Secretary of the Navy."[2]From July 24, 2019 until the end of the month, he assumed the duties ofDeputy Secretary of Defense.
In November 2019,Secretary of DefenseMark Esperstated he had learned that Spencer had proposed to White House officials that, if they did not intervene with military justice proceedings against Navy SEALEddie Gallagher,Spencer would ensure that Gallagher was able to retire with his Trident Pin, a symbol of membership in the SEALs. Gallagher had been convicted by court martial in July 2019 of wrongfully posing for an unofficial picture with a human casualty, and acquitted of six additional charges including murder. Spencer's private proposal to the White House – which he did not share with Esper over the course of several conversations about the matter – contradicted his public position on the Gallagher case, chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement.[13]Esper dismissed Spencer on November 24, 2019, saying he was "flabbergasted" by Spencer going directly to the White House outside the chain of command.[12]Spencer then reiterated his public position about Gallagher, and alleged that the White House was pressuring him to let Gallagher retire as a Navy SEAL.[14]The next day Esper told reporters that Trump had issued an order that Gallagher be allowed to retire as a Navy SEAL.[14]
In a letter to Trump acknowledging his termination, Spencer stressed his belief in the importance of "good order and discipline",saying," Unfortunately, it has become apparent that... I no longer share the same understanding with the Commander in Chief who appointed me, in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline. I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates thesacred oathI took in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. "[15]
On November 27, 2019,The Washington Postpublished an op-ed by Spencer, in which he said that Trump "has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military", and referred to Trump's actions in the Gallagher case as a "shocking and unprecedented intervention".[16][17]
Later career
[edit]On February 7, 2020, Spencer endorsedMichael Bloombergfor U.S. President in the2020 U.S. presidential election.[1]He is a member of theMarine Corps Association and Foundationand theMarine Corps Aviation Association.
References
[edit]- ^abBlake, Andrew (February 7, 2020)."Richard Spencer, Trump's former Navy secretary, endorses Michael Bloomberg in 2020 race".The Washington Times.RetrievedFebruary 7,2020.
- ^ab"Letter from Acting Secretary of Defense Richard V. Spencer to Pentagon".news.usni.org.July 15, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on July 23, 2019.RetrievedJuly 23,2019.
- ^"Statement by DOD Spokesman Jonathan Hoffman".U.S. Department of Defense.RetrievedNovember 24,2019.
- ^"Appointments and Resignations - Secretary of the Navy: Who Is Richard Spencer? - AllGov".AllGov.Archivedfrom the original on July 10, 2017.RetrievedAugust 7,2017.
- ^U.S. Navy."U.S. Navy Biographies – Richard V. Spencer".Archived fromthe originalon November 25, 2017.RetrievedJuly 27,2018.
- ^Chandrasekaran, Rajiv (May 1, 2013)."Commissary plan, backlash show difficulty of cutting military personnel spending".The Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on July 28, 2018.RetrievedJuly 27,2018.
- ^"President Trump moves to fill out top ranks at Pentagon".The Hill.April 3, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on April 9, 2017.RetrievedMay 2,2017.
- ^Klimas, Jacqueline (March 9, 2017)."Former Marine Richard V. Spencer to be nominated for Navy Secretary".The Washington Examiner.Archivedfrom the original on March 24, 2017.RetrievedAugust 21,2017.
- ^"Newswire Bloomberg reported Trump offered Spencer the job on Thursday."ArchivedAugust 2, 2017, at theWayback Machine(March 9, 2017)
- ^LaGrone, Sam (August 1, 2017)."Senate Confirms Richard V. Spencer as SECNAV, Ellen Lord as Pentagon Acquisition Chief".USNI News.Archivedfrom the original on August 8, 2017.RetrievedAugust 7,2017.
- ^Drew, Jonathan (August 3, 2017)."Marine Vet Richard V. Spencer Takes Over as Navy Secretary".Military.com.Archivedfrom the original on September 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 27,2017.
- ^abO’reilly, Andrew (November 24, 2019)."Eddie Gallagher controversy: Esper fires Navy secretary, SEAL will keep Trident pin, Pentagon says".Fox News.RetrievedNovember 25,2019.
- ^Parker, Ashley; Lamothe, Dan."Pentagon chief asks for Navy secretary's resignation over private proposal in Navy SEAL's case".The Washington Post.RetrievedNovember 24,2019.
- ^abMcLaughlin, Elizabeth; Martinez, Luis (November 25, 2019)."Trump ordered Gallagher be allowed to retire as Navy SEAL, defense secretary says".ABC News.RetrievedNovember 25,2019.
- ^"Navy Secretary Richard Spencer's letter to the President acknowledging his termination".CNN.November 24, 2019.RetrievedNovember 25,2019.
- ^"Fired navy secretary blasts Trump over 'shocking' handling of Navy seal case".The Guardian.Associated Press.November 28, 2019.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
- ^Spencer, Richard (November 27, 2019)."Richard Spencer: I was fired as Navy secretary. Here's what I've learned because of it".The Washington Post.RetrievedNovember 28,2019.
External links
[edit]
- Biography at U.S. NavyArchivedNovember 25, 2017, at theWayback Machine
- Bloomberg Background
- AppearancesonC-SPAN
- AppearancesonC-SPAN(alt)
