A portrait of retired U.S. Army General Mark Milley was taken down from the Pentagon just hours following Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th U.S. president.
The New York Post reported that this swift removal signals a deepening rift between the Trump administration and the former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman.
The Pentagon removed General Milley's portrait on a Monday, immediately after Trump's inauguration ceremonies. Milley, the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump and later under Biden, found his portrait displayed among other former chairmen in a Pentagon hallway for only a brief 10-day period during the final days of the Biden administration.
General Milley, appointed as Joint Chiefs chairman by Trump in December 2018, had become a contentious figure during his term in office, particularly during the Trump administration's handling of the George Floyd protests in mid-2020.
It was during this time that Milley publicly expressed regrets over his participation in a widely criticized photo-op with President Trump at Lafayette Square.
The addition of Milley's portrait at the Pentagon was seen as part of the traditional recognition given to former chairmen.
However, its placement for only ten days marked one of the shortest durations of such a display in recent history. Official information confirmed that the directive for the removal had come directly from the White House, making this action highly unusual in the decorum of military homage.
The backdrop of this portrait incident is layered by Trump's historic relationship with Milley, which deteriorated notably after the 2020 presidential election.
Milley was openly critical of Trump's refusal to concede defeat and voiced concerns about the stability and integrity of U.S. democratic processes during the transition period.
Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Milley, highlighting concerns that the incoming Trump administration might pursue legal actions against him. This preemptive move was seen as a protective measure for Milley, who had served under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Trump initially praised Milley upon his appointment, expressing his confidence through a public tweet that heralded the general's leadership qualities.
"I am pleased to announce my nomination of four-star Gen. Mark Milley, chief of Staff of the United States Army — as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing Gen. Joe Dunford, who will be retiring," Trump said. This appreciation was further echoed in Trump's acknowledgment of Milley's and Dunford’s service to the country.
However, the relationship between Trump and Milley grew increasingly strained, particularly after the events surrounding the George Floyd protests. Milley's participation and subsequent expression of regret about the Lafayette Square incident only served to deepen the divide.
The removal of Milley’s portrait appears to follow a trajectory of distancing from officials who have publicly disagreed with Trump on significant matters.
An anonymous U.S. official confirmed that the order to remove the portrait came directly from "the White House," positioning it within broader political dynamics rather than as a routine administrative move.
The removal of General Milley’s portrait may carry broader implications for civil-military relations and the normative boundaries typically respected between military leadership and political oversight.
The Pentagon, traditionally a nonpartisan institution, found itself at the center of this politically charged action that could be interpreted as a signal of how the new Trump administration intends to deal with dissent and historical recollection.
This act of removing a portrait not only erases a symbolic recognition of service but might also be seen as erasing a period of history where military leadership and political leadership were publically at odds.
Such public interactions between the military and their civilian commanders are critical to understanding the dynamic nature of leadership in U.S. democratic institutions, and this incident may be remembered as a significant marker of the times.