President Trump fired Secretary of Defense Mark Esper via tweet on Monday, raising questions about the motives and risks of shaking up leadership at the Pentagon so close to a presidential transition. Michael O’Hanlon looks at Esper’s track record as secretary and the stability of civilian military leadership at the end of Trump’s term.
Related material:
- Do our generals and admirals like war too much?
- The battle of Lafayette Square and the undermining of American democracy
Listen to Brookings podcasts here, on Apple or on Google podcasts, send email feedback to [email protected], and follow us at @policypodcasts on Twitter.
Thanks to audio producer Gaston Reboredo, Chris McKenna, Fred Dews, Marie Wilken, and Camilo Ramirez for their support.
Participants
Michael E. O’Hanlon
Director of Research
- Foreign Policy,
Director
- Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology,
Co-Director
- Africa Security Initiative,
Senior Fellow
- Foreign Policy, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology,
Philip H. Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy
@MichaelEOHanlon
Adrianna Pita
Host, The Current
- Office of Communications, Brookings
Commentary
PodcastWhy did Trump fire Secretary of Defense Esper?
November 9, 2020
Listen on
The Current Podcast