Trump confronted defense chief Esper over comments on protests
President Donald Trump confronted his Defense secretary, Mark Esper, after the Pentagon chief publicly opposed the idea of deploying the military to contain protests, according to people familiar with the matter.
Separately, the president later asked top advisers if they thought Esper could still be effective in his position, two people familiar with the discussions said on Wednesday night.
In a news conference within the afternoon, the president’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, tiptoed around whether Esper’s job was safe, saying just that he remained in their post.
Neither the White House nor the Pentagon immediately responded to requests for discuss Wednesday night.
Esper met with Trump inside the Oval Office after telling reporters on the Pentagon that active-duty mi...