Trump has made his corrupt and authoritarian impulses so well known that he often no longer has to give the corrupt and authoritarian orders himself. Military leaders and other officials can predict what he'll demand and see that it happens, unasked. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/05/acting-navy-chief-fired-crozier-panicking-before-trump-might-intervene/#click=https://t.co/FGNT3UrK1I

At briefings, Trump repeats "we have to reopen the country, we have to reopen the country" like a broken record. From Capt. Crozier's letter, it seems that same message has been given to the military: continue on and maintain readiness, even though it means many sailors will die.

The conflict between Capt. Crozier and the Navy Sec seems to have been over whether or not the Navy should send sailors to die during peacetime, in order to maintain readiness.

The Navy said yes; Crozier said no, and sacrificed his career to oppose it.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-secretary-blasts-fired-aircraft-carrier-captain

And here is Acting Navy Sec Modly's reward for following the President's unvoiced but obvious desire, by firing Crozier: the President threw Modly's ass under the goddamn bus and called *his* judgment into question. https://twitter.com/stevenportnoy/status/1247326243307036674?s=19

Trump has two hobbies: golf, and convincing his subordinates to sacrifice their integrity on his behalf before immediately reversing his position in a way that makes the subordinate look both unscrupulous *and* foolish.