Retired General Mark Milley’s official portrait as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was removed from its display at the Pentagon on January 15, 2025. The portrait, which had only been unveiled five days earlier, was located in the hallway where portraits of previous chairmen are displayed. The removal was confirmed by two U.S. officials, though the reasons for its disappearance remain unclear. ABC News has reached out to the White House for further comment, and the whereabouts of Milley’s portrait are currently unknown.
The unveiling of the portrait took place on January 10, 2025, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, with Milley and then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in attendance. Milley, who retired in 2023 after serving as Chairman under Presidents Trump and Biden, was preemptively pardoned by President Biden on January 15. The pardon, part of a broader set of last-minute pardons, was granted in response to concerns about potential political retribution.
Milley’s tenure as Chairman was marked by tensions with then-President Trump, particularly after the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan and Milley’s actions during the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot. Their relationship deteriorated further when Milley took steps to reassure China’s military leadership following the Capitol breach, actions that Trump deemed a betrayal. Despite their differences, Trump had originally appointed Milley in 2018, praising him as a “great gentleman” and a “great soldier.”
In a speech following his pardon, Milley expressed his deep gratitude for the action, stating that after 43 years of military service, he no longer wanted to face distractions or threats related to political differences. He affirmed his continued loyalty to the U.S. Constitution and his commitment to the nation.
President Biden, in defending the pardons, stressed that they were necessary to protect individuals from politically motivated investigations, emphasizing that the pardons did not imply any wrongdoing.
