Shanahan: "Our job is to lead the army," not politics

Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Friday reaffirmed the long-standing mandate to protect the military forces from politics, following the USS John S. McCain debacle at the time. President Donald Trump's visit to Japan.

"Our job is to conduct military operations and not to politicize ourselves … Our job is to lead the armed forces," Shanahan said at a press conference in Singapore.

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He added that he had not discussed the situation surrounding the McCain destroyer with the White House or major military commanders in the Pacific, saying he left it to his chief of staff to check.

Shanahan asked Chief of Staff Eric Chewning "to look at the issue, which is different from saying" to open a formal investigation, "said the Acting Secretary of Defense. .

His comments followed an article in the Wall Street Journal that the White House military office had demanded that President McCain be "hidden" during a presidential visit to Japan during the long commemorative holiday. Memorial Day. .

Shanahan stated that he had no knowledge of this case until he became aware of it in the press.

"I will wait to have a full explanation of the facts before making a judgment on the situation," Shanahan said.

Chewning will speak to senior naval officers in the Pacific and Washington, Shanahan said, adding that his chief of staff had already searched emails received by his own "front office" to see if messages were preventing Trump to see the McCain.

"They did a quick one – and I would say a non-exhaustive look – and we did not receive any," Shanahan said.

Some retired military officials have requested a more formal inspection of the Pentagon's Inspector General.

"I would not have moved the ship, I would not have given that direction, so I'll wait to see what has been reported to us," Shanahan said of Chewning's investigation.