“I thought he claimed that he had no problem following the President’s instruction/order.”
Yeah, sorta. But what reportedly got him canned was going around his boss, Esper and trying to cut a deal directly with the White House.
OK...chain of command...got it.
Telling your Commander in Chief that you will disregard his order unless he "puts it in writing" is insubordination in and of itself. I knew when he said that, that there was a chance he would be fired.
I have challenged the orders of my superiors many times, but I did so behind a closed door. Regardless of whether my arguments succeeded or not, when I walked out of that door, my superior and I were "on the same page".
Trying to make a deal that gives the appearance of an Admiral being insubordinate to his CINC was horrible optics.