Moments ago, President Donald Trump announced on twitter that has has fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, a surprise move which came days after Trump’s failed reelection bid.
Traditionally, losing presidents have kept their Pentagon chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to preserve stability in the name of national security.
Trump announced the news in a tweet, saying that “effective immediately” Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting secretary, sidestepping the department’s No.2-ranking official, Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist.
“Chris will do a GREAT job!” Trump tweeted. “Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.”
By last summer, it was obvious that Esper’s relationship with Trump came close to collapse during civil unrest that triggered a debate within the administration over the proper role of the military in combatting domestic unrest.
According to AP, Esper’s opposition to using active duty troops to help quell protests in Washington, D.C., infuriated Trump, and led to wide speculation that the defense chief was prepared to quit if faced with such an issue again.
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