Mark Esper is tired. The former Defense Secretary made that clear Sunday, casting serious doubt on the quality of the whispers reaching Donald Trump’s ears. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Esper openly questioned whether the commander-in-chief is surrounded by anyone who actually respects the Constitution.
“I don’t see that the president is always getting good advice,” Esper told host Garrett Haake. It was blunt. He noted that even Republicans on Capitol Hill are quietly asking the same thing. They want to know who is steering the ship on critical strategic matters.
They are worried. GOP lawmakers are currently sweating over Trump’s recent foreign policy maneuvers, particularly a fresh memorandum of understanding with Iran. The deal, aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, has left some Senate Republicans in a state of quiet panic.
Esper shares the anxiety. He sees some positives. The ceasefire is good. Reopening the strait helps the economy. Nuclear talks are a start. But the rest of the deal? He has serious doubts.
This bad blood is old news. Esper’s relationship with Trump disintegrated back in 2020. The breaking point came when Trump wanted to deploy active-duty troops to crush domestic protests. Esper said no. He was fired by tweet shortly after.
The retaliation followed. Trump stripped Esper of his security detail last year, a petty parting gift also handed to other former loyalists turned critics like John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Mark Milley.
Esper has made his peace with the exile. He has already declared he won’t vote for his former boss, calling Trump a direct threat to the nation’s democratic foundations. It is a familiar refrain from the establishment, but coming from the guy who once ran the Pentagon, it still stings.
