Sen. Rubio: Remove communist US soldier from officer ranks

FORT DRUM, N.Y. – U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is calling for an apparent pro-communist U.S. soldier to lose his commission as an officer.

In a letter to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, the Florida Republican says the Pentagon should remove 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone from officer ranks while pursuing disciplinary action against the 2016 U.S. Military Academy graduate.

Rubio also says West Point should consider revoking Rapone's four-year degree.

Rapone has been in the spotlight since he recently posted photos of himself on Twitter wearing a T-shirt featuring Marxist Che Guevara under his West Point uniform and holding his cap with the words "communism will win" written on the underside.

Army officials say they're looking into the actions by Rapone, an infantry officer with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in northern New York.