“Loyalty-Oath Atmosphere” — Trump Admin Demanding Names Of DOD Appointees Who Cheered Exiting Policy Official
Donald Trump’s presidency has been steeped in an atmosphere of demands for loyalty, to such a degree that James Comey and Michael Cohen, bookending the beginning and end of Trump’s term, both center their narratives of their White House experiences on that word. Now, the administration is reportedly imploding with demands for loyalty to one leader over party and country alike, even demanding a list of names of people who merely clapped for an official who had handed in his resignation, so they can also be fired.
Defense News reported this week that the “shakeup” at the Department of Defense is leading civilians in policy and intelligence positions to resign in protest. Defense Secretary Mark Esper was asked by the administration to submit a resignation, and others are following him out. Acting Undersecretary of Defense James Anderson is a part of this shakeup, to the apparent disappointment of others within the DOD.
In fact, according to Bill Kristol, who says he spoke to senior officials within the DOD Tuesday night, when Anderson left the building he was given a “clap-out” by his colleagues in support. The White House is now demanding a list of those names so that they can be fired.
2) Chris Miller's career has been entirely in counter-terrorism, and Trump knows him in that context from his job at NSC. "Totally out of his depth" for broad responsibilities as Sec Def–but if Trump wants to launch more Suleimani-like raids, it would sense to have Miller there.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 11, 2020
4) A sign of the loyalty-oath atmosphere now at DOD: When Jim Anderson was fired yesterday as Acting Under Secretary for Policy, he was given a "clap-out" as he left the building. The WH called to request names of any political appointees who joined in so they could be fired.
END— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 11, 2020
Politico reports that retired Brigadier General Anthony Tata, who will now be heading policy, was actually previously nominated by Trump. However, his nomination led to the uncovering of tweets in which he called President Barack Obama a “terrorist leader,” and spouted other attacks directed at religious demographics, female congressional leadership, and shared conspiracy theories.