Esper’s firing raises concerns about Trump’s Pentagon plans

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s decision to fire Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday raised concerns that he may be planning far- reaching military moves in his final weeks in office — and is putting in place new leadership more inclined to go along.

Trump named Christopher Miller, director of the national counterterrorism center, to take over as acting Defense secretary, bypassing the normal practice of having the Pentagon’s No. 2 official take charge temporarily if the top job becomes vacant.

Trump announced the move on Twitter, saying Esper “has been terminated” and that Miller would assume control immediately.

Miller showed up at the Pentagon a little over an hour later. He issued guidance telling the Pentagon’s vast workforce to continue its mission without changes, a Defense Department official said.

The White House long has hinted that Trump was likely to fire several top national security aides after the election. In addition to Esper, he is said to be angry at FBI Director Christopher A. Wray for not investigating his political enemies and at CIA Director Gina Haspel for delaying release of classified documents about the 2016 campaign.

Before the election, Trump publicly raised the possibility that he might pull all remaining U.S. troops — roughly 4,500 — out of Afghanistan by January.

He also privately raised the possibility of withdrawing the approximately 500 American forces in Somalia, and a further drawdown in Syria.

It’s unclear whether Trump is still weighing such moves. He has long been frustrated at Pentagon resistance to his goals of ending U.S. involvement in long- running overseas wars and may see the next 10 weeks as a last chance to achieve his goal of bringing forces home.