Officials say Defense Secretary Mark Esper is prepared for possibility Trump may fire him
(CNN)Defense Secretary Mark Esper is attempting to fashion a graceful exit from office if President Donald Trump decides to fire him regardless of the result of the presidential election, according to several defense sources, including one senior defense official.
Several defense officials confirm Esper has long had a resignation letter prepared and that once the election is decided the President may turn his attention to Esper's fate, meaning he could be gone within days.
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Several officials say that behind the scenes at the Pentagon some very preliminary administrative steps to prepare for a departure and transition are underway -- a reflection of the widespread assessment that Trump has been tiring of his latest secretary of defense, who he has derisively called "Yesper."
If Esper leaves the job and Trump chooses not to install an interim replacement, Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist would serve in the role in an acting capacity until a replacement is named by whoever wins the election.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/05/politics/mark-esper-trump/index.html
Norquist and his wife, Stephanie, have three children.[4] He is the younger brother of Grover Norquist,[19] founder of Americans for Tax Reform.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Norquist
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