Finally, there is the judgment itself. An American service member shared a photograph of himself with a corpse along with the message: “I have got a cool story for you when I get back. I have got my knife skills on.” Our president’s endorsement of the perpetrator will be taken as a representation of our values. Our own troops, many of them teenagers, will be misled by the president’s sense, or lack of sense, of honor.

Our military engages over 1.3 million young men and women on active duty. Many will be thrust into situations of extreme risk. They, and hundreds of thousands of reservists, look to their commanders, their comrades and their training to find the proper course in the face of great challenges. All officials, and most of all presidents, should respect senior officers, the judgment of peers and the values articulated in training.

In his final letter, Mr. Spencer, a Trump appointee, put it well: “As secretary of the Navy, one of the most important responsibilities I have to our people is to maintain good order and discipline throughout the ranks. I regard this as deadly serious business.” He added, “The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries.”