The U.S. Department of State’s chief spokesperson resigned on Sunday just days after he criticized the military’s treatment of suspected Army whistleblower Private Bradley Manning. Last week, P.J. Crowley spoke before a small group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and accused the Pentagon of being “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid” in its treatment of Manning. Manning has been held in solitary confinement since June on a Marine brig and has been forced to be naked for up to seven hours at a time. In his resignation, Crowley said his comments “were intended to highlight the broader, even strategic impact of discreet actions undertaken by national security agencies every day and their impact on our global standing and leadership.” Crowley went on to say, “The exercise of power in today’s challenging times and relentless media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values.” On Friday, President Obama defended the military’s treatment of Manning.

President Obama: “With respect to Private Manning, I have actually asked the Pentagon whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards. They assure me that they are. I can’t go into details about some of their concerns, but some of this has to do with Private Manning’s safety, as well.”