Official portrait of General Mark A. Milley

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The official portrait of General Mark A. Milley, the 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Trump-appointee, was unveiled at The Pentagon on January 10, 2025, by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The painting was displayed in the Pentagon's E-ring hallway, a corridor featuring portraits of all former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs. The portrait was removed just days later, reportedly on the orders of President Donald Trump in one of his first official acts, within two hours of his inauguration, in an unprecedented step. It was widely interpreted as political retaliation, sparking concerns about politicization of the military and broader implications for Trump's presidency. [1]

Contents

Background

General Mark A. Milley served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2023, and was appointed by Donald Trump. Milley's relationship with Trump became strained after he distanced himself from the Trump administration’s handling of the George Floyd protests. He also expressed concerns over Trump's refusal to concede the 2020 presidential election.

Details of the portrait

The portrait, unveiled on January 10, 2025, featured General Milley in his full dress uniform, decorated with numerous awards and commendations. The artist who painted the portrait has not been publicly disclosed. The event was presided over by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Other high-ranking military officials and members of the Department of Defense, and General Milley himself, were also present. [2] [3]

The portrait was funded through donations from the Association of the United States Army, and was a gift from the Army honoring Milley's service. [4]

Removal of the portrait

On January 20, 2025, shortly after Trump's inauguration, the portrait was removed from its place in The Pentagon's E-ring hallway. Witnesses reported seeing Pentagon personnel taking down the painting within two hours of the inauguration. Following its removal, workers reportedly patched and repainted the wall where it had been displayed.

The Pentagon did not provide an official explanation for the removal; however, sources indicated that it was ordered by the White House. The removal sparked concerns within the defense community. [1] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Its removal was described as a warning to future chiefs that they can be erased from Pentagon history if they fall out of favor with Trump. [10]

Later the portrait of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, another Trump-appointee, was also removed from The Pentagon. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 Cooper, Helen; Schmitt, Eric (January 20, 2025). "Portrait of General Milley Is Removed From Pentagon". The New York Times . Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Portrait of General Who Blasted Trump Removed From View at Pentagon". Artnet. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "White House orders removal of Mark Milley portrait from Pentagon hallway" . Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Portraits of Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley removed at Pentagon, Hegseth revokes Milley's security detail and clearance". Stars and Stripes . Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "At Pentagon, a missing portrait and fears of an upheaval". Reuters. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Mark Milley's Portrait Disappears from Pentagon on Trump's Inauguration Day" . Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "White House orders removal of Mark Milley portrait from Pentagon hallway". Abc News. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Pentagon removes new portrait of Mark Milley". Politico. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "Portrait of Gen. Mark Milley taken down from Pentagon wall hours after Trump inauguration". usa today. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Trump administration swiftly enacts retribution against political enemies". NBC News. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
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