US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, Who Contradicted Trump, Fired
Esper has been at odds with Trump especially over use of force during the Black Lives Matter protests.
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Outgoing US President Donald Trump has fired his Secretary of Defence Mark Esper indicating that the transition into new President-elect Joe Biden's presidency will not be a smooth one.
In a tweet on Monday, 9 November, Trump announced that Esper has been terminated and Christopher C Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will be acting Defence Secretary.
Esper has been at odds with the Trump administration, especially with his insistence, during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests that there was no valid reason to deploy troops on the streets of US to curb the protest.
"I serve the country in deference to the Constitution, so I accept your decision to replace me", wrote Esper in a final letter to the President, reported The Guardian.
He departed quietly on Monday, without the traditional "clap-out" given to outgoing secretaries.
“The abrupt firing of Secretary Esper is disturbing evidence that President Trump is intent on using his final days in office to sow chaos in our American democracy and around the world,” said US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said.
The United States, which recently had its presidential election, saw incumbent President and Republican candidate Donald Trump lose to Democrat candidate Joe Biden, in a closely fought election.
President Trump, is however, yet to concede defeat to President-elect Biden, going on to insist that there was foul play in the counting of votes.
(With inputs from The Guardian)
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