The Pentagon’s former high spokesman introduced his resignation Wednesday after being sidelined final month for his function within the elimination of a Division of Protection web site celebrating MLB trailblazer Jackie Robinson.
John Ullyot, who had been working the Pentagon’s press store on an appearing foundation, instructed Politico that his determination to depart the DoD got here after a gathering with Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth didn’t lead to a job provide to his liking.
“I made clear to Secretary [Pete] Hegseth before the inauguration that I was not interested in being number two to anyone in public affairs,” Ullyot instructed the outlet, noting that from the outset, he solely supplied to help the Pentagon for 2 months on an appearing foundation.
“Last month, as that time approached, the Secretary and I talked and could not come to an agreement on another good fit for me at DOD,” he added. “So I informed him today that I will be leaving at the end of this week.”
Ullyot indicated that he’ll proceed to be a staunch supporter of Hegseth.
Ullyot had been relegated to a “special projects” function on the Pentagon following the uproar over the elimination of a web-based article centered on Robinson’s army background, the Washington Put up reported final month.
Robinson, a member of baseball’s Corridor of Fame, broke Main League Baseball’s colour barrier in 1947, changing into the primary black participant to play within the fashionable period when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Ullyot initially defended the elimination of the Robinson article, releasing an announcement on March 19 declaring that range, fairness and inclusion “is dead at the Defense Department,” in keeping with ESPN.
About an hour later, the general public affairs official launched an up to date assertion claiming: “Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima and so many others — we salute them for their strong and in many cases heroic service to our country, full stop.”
“In the rare cases that content is removed – either deliberately or by mistake – that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct the components and they correct the content so it recognizes our heroes for their dedicated service alongside their fellow Americans, period,” Ullyot added.
The Robinson story was restored on the DoD web site shortly after.
Ullyot was subsequently changed by Sean Parnell as the highest Pentagon spokesman.
His resignation comes the identical week as three high Pentagon officers have been placed on depart amid a probe into leaks on the Division of Protection.
