President Donald Trump Monday announced he has “terminated” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and installed his Director of the National Counterterrorism Center in his place.
“I am pleased to announce that Christopher C. Miller, the highly respected Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (unanimously confirmed by the Senate), will be Acting Secretary of Defense, effective immediately,” Trump tweeted. “Chris will do a GREAT job! Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.”
Trump has long been wanting to fire Esper, and last week it was reported Esper had drafter a letter of resignation.
The President is angry that Esper pushed back on Trump when he wanted to flood cities with military service members in a show of force against Black Lives Matters activists and supporters.
Miller becomes President Donald Trump’s sixth Pentagon chief. (Esper had the job twice, first as Acting. He was then replaced, and later nominated and confirmed.)
No other president has has as many, especially in such a short period of time.
President Barack Obama had four over eight years, including keeping Robert Gates, President George W. Bush’s DefSec. Bush had just two. President Bill Clinton had three. President George H.W. Bush had two over four years. President Ronald Reagan had two. President Jimmy Carter had just one.
This is a breaking news and developing story.