Trump Attacks “RINO” Former Defense Sec. Mark Esper

The Hill reports:

Former President Trump called his former defense secretary a “lightweight” and a “RINO” in response to a “60 Minutes” interview that covered a series of shocking claims about the former commander-in-chief.

“Mark Esper was weak and totally ineffective and because of it, I had to run the military,” said the statement from Trump to 60 Minutes.

“Mark Esper was a stiff who was desperate not to lose his job. He would do anything I wanted, that’s why I called him “Yesper.” He was a lightweight and figurehead, and I realized it very early on.”

Mediaite reports:

In his response to the show, Trump also disputed claims that he wanted to send 10,000 active duty troops into Washington, D.C. after St. John’s Church was set on fire and that he allegedly mistakenly believed his Insurrection Act authority was taken away by Esper.

Asked to confirm why he fired Esper, Trump said that Esper “was a RINO incapable of leading, and I had to run the military myself.” On 60 Minutes‘ final question — whether Trump did, in fact, contemplate attacking drug cartels in Mexico with missiles — the former president replied simply, “No comment.”

“Mark Esper was a stiff who was desperate not to lose his job,” Trump wrote in a statement. “He would do anything I wanted, that’s why I called him ‘Yesper.’ He was a lightweight and figurehead, and I realized it very early on.” https://t.co/MF01RAWBJb

— The Hill (@thehill) May 9, 2022

When asked for comment on this interview, the office of former President Donald Trump provided the following statement to 60 Minutes. https://t.co/QBrwHL2cR2 pic.twitter.com/MZUCrfxgha

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 8, 2022