On Monday, his head in a noose, former Surgeon General Jerome Adams had final words for Vice Adm. Darse E. Crandall and the smattering of officers who had arrived at Guantanamo Bay to witness his execution. An impassioned Adams delivered a lengthy soliloquy, saying the only reason he had betrayed Trump and the American populace was that the Deep State had threatened to harm his family if he didn’t concede to their demands.
“What would you have done, Adm. Crandall? They threatened my wife, children, relatives I haven’t seen in 15 years. I was scared for them. Imagine living your life under the specter of death, knowing they’d come for you if they even thought you’d act against them. I did what I did to safeguard the lives of my family, Admiral.”
The Admiral replied, “If true, why didn’t you open your mouth about it before? This is the first time we’re hearing about it. Who threatened your family? And why did you accept payment?”
“I was scared,” Adams said slowly, giving each word space. “And I had to take that money. If I refused it, they’d suspect me.”
“Who’s they?” Adm. Crandall asked.
“Doesn’t matter anymore; you’ve dealt with them,” Adams said. “But the others, they are everywhere. And what you’re about to do, Admiral Crandall, will leave a wife without a husband, three children without a father.”
“Don’t put this on me. You could’ve gone to President Trump. He would’ve protected you. He would’ve protected your family,” the Admiral said.
Beside Adams stood a soldier whose uniform bore no rank or insignia. His index finger hovered near the button that would open the hinged door beneath Adams’ feet, and beside him a Navy Chaplin whose right palm lay on Adams’ shoulder.
“Officer to officer, Vice Adm. Crandall, what would you have done?”
The question made Crandall wince as if in pain. “You call yourself an officer. Some nerve.”
The surgeon general is a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the eight uniformed services of the United States, and by law holds the rank of vice admiral, though the rank is mainly honorary.
“I would have honored my oath; that’s what I would’ve done,” Vice Adm. Crandall said. “As I will do now.”
Adams shut his eyes and began to recite Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me….”
Admiral Crandall drew a deep breath and motioned at the soldier atop the platform to push the button.
A Navy physician recorded the time of death: 10:40 a.m. EST., Monday, February 13.