After sacking the US Defense Secretary, Trump is expected to fire the White House health adviser

ILLUSTRATION. Donald Trump said on Monday that he had “fired” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Who is next? REUTERS / Carlos Barria

Source: Reuters | Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie

KONTAN.CO.ID – WASHINGTON. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had “fired” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.

Reuters reported, Trump has clashed with Esper because of various problems. He was reportedly outraged by Esper’s public opposition to Trump’s threats to use active military forces this summer to suppress street protests over racial injustice after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Democrats reacted with dismay, saying Trump’s move sent a dangerous message to America’s enemies and dimmed hopes for an orderly transition as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.

“Secretary of Defense Esper’s sudden dismissal is disturbing evidence that President Trump intends to use his last days at the White House to sow chaos in our American Democracy and around the world,” Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi was quoted as saying Reuters.

Also Read: Trump sacked US Defense Secretary Mark Esper six days after the election

Adam Smith, the Democrat who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, condemned Trump’s decision as “childish” and “reckless.”

Trump said on Twitter that Christopher Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, is taking over as acting secretary of defense.

“Mark Esper has been dismissed,” Trump wrote in a tweet, adding that Miller would act as Defense Secretary effectively immediately.

The US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows called Esper minutes earlier to warn him Trump would fire him via Twitter.

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As Trump rushed out without further ado to Esper, Miller arrived at the Pentagon building just an hour or so after Trump’s announcement – before the Pentagon itself even issued a statement acknowledging Esper’s dismissal.

It was unclear if the Esper was still in the building when Miller arrived.

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