Trump Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to remove Mark Milley's security detail and warns he faces demotion in retirement

President Donald Trump's new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will announce that he is 'immediately pulling' the security detail and security clearance for retired Gen. Mark Milley.

Fox News first reported the latest move on Trump's retribution tour Tuesday evening.

Hegseth is also directing the Pentagon's new acting Inspector General to investigate whether Milley can be stripped of a star in retirement based on his actions to 'undermine the chain of command.' 

Adding insult to injury, the Pentagon plans to remove the second and only remaining portrait of Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, inside the building as soon as later Tuesday night, Fox also said. 

The first portrait of Milley was removed from the Pentagon on Inauguration Day. 

Milley received one of President Joe Biden's last-minute pardons as he was considered one of Trump's political enemies that the Republican president could go after once sworn-in. 

Milley had worked under Trump and President Joe Biden. 

Weeks before Election Day 2024, Watergate star and longtime Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward revealed that Milley had described Trump as 'fascist to the core' and 'the most dangerous person to this country.' 

Due to threats from Trump's MAGA fanbase, Milley had previously installed bulletproof glass and blast-proof curtains in his home. 

He was among the Trump administration officials involved in the January 2020  assassination of Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani who received security details in the aftermath. 

Trump has already pulled Secret Service protection from his former National Security Advisor John Bolton and a State Department detail from his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - both under threat from Iran. 

Bolton wrote a critical tell-all book about working for Trump and released it ahead of the 2020 election - which Trump lost to Biden. 

Pompeo flirted with running against Trump in the 2024 Republican primary. 

He decided against doing so but hasn't been perceived as being adequately loyal -despite stumping for Trump on the campaign trail ahead of Election Day in November. 

Trump has shrugged off that he might have increased security threats to these individuals. 

He's replied that government officials shouldn't expect to have taxpayer-funded security for life.  

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt was also pressed on the issue Tuesday, during her first White House press briefing. 

'Sen. Tom Cotton said that he's seen the intelligence and the threat from Iran is real for anyone who played a role in the Soleimani strike,' Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich pointed out. 

She pointed out that 'family, innocent, bystanders, anyone near them when they're out in public' could be put in danger in an assassination attempt.  

Leavitt pointed out that Trump had already been asked this. 

'And there's nothing stopping these individuals that you mentioned from obtaining private security,' she added.  

Leavitt also didn't buy that Trump dropping security details - and security clearances - from former Trump administration officials would cool off any recruitiing. 

'No, in fact I've talked to the Presidential Personnel Office who have told me directly that there is such an influx of resumes for this administration that it's incredibly overwhelming. There is no lack of talent for the Trump administration,' she boasted. 

When Heinrich pressed the press secretary on whether Trump would accept any responsibility if something happened, Leavitt answered brusquely and moved on.

'The president was asked and answered this yesterday,' she answered. 

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