Trump loyalists get top jobs day after firing of Esper

A day after WASHINGTON—

President Donald Trump fired Defense SecretaryMark Esper, three staunch loyalists to the presidentwere named to top defense jobs. Among them was a former FoxNews commentator who failed to get through Senate confirmation because of offensive remarks he made, including about Islam.

The abrupt changes sent reverberations through the Pentagon as nervous civilian and military personnel waited for the next shoe to drop. Andtheyfueledworries of a wider effort to drum out anyone considered not loyal enough to Trump.

The unease was palpable inside the building throughout the day over concerns about what the Trump administration may do in the months before President-elect Joe Biden takes office andwhether there will be a greater effort to politicize the historically apolitical military. While radical policy shifts seem unlikely before the Jan. 20 inauguration, the changes could further damage prospects for a smooth transition already hamperedbyTrump’s refusal to concede his election loss.

JamesAnderson, who had been acting undersecretary for policy, resigned Tuesday morning and hewas quickly replaced by Anthony Tata, a retiredArmyone-stargeneral. Ashort timelater, JosephKernan, a retiredNavy vice admiral, stepped down as undersecretary for intelligence, hasteningwhat had been an already planned post-election departure. Kernan was replaced by EzraCohen-Watnick, who becomes acting undersecretary for intelligence.

The departures came on Christopher Miller’s second day on the job as defense chief. Miller also brought in his own chief of staff, Kash Patel, to replace Jen Stewart, whohadworkedinthatjobfor Esper. Patel and Cohen-Watnick are both considered staunchly loyal to Trump and previously worked at theNational SecurityCouncil.

While the personnel changes added to the tumult in the wake of Esper’s departure, it’s not clear howmuch impacttheycouldhaveonthe massive Pentagon bureaucracy.