Trump revokes Esper’s security detail

President Trump has revoked the security detail for former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, joining a slew of others who have had their security provisions taken away after being critical of the commander-in-chief.

Esper, who served as the Pentagon chief from July 2019 until November 2020, lost his security detail Tuesday night, multiple outlets reported.

His detail, which had been provided by the Defense Department, was initially given after threats from Iran stemming from the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Esper’s relationship with Trump, which was strained ahead of his dismissal from the Pentagon in November 2020, grew contentious over Trump’s use of active-duty troops to quell protests across the U.S. in summer 2020. Esper publicly opposed the use of the military in civilian settings, a tension that reflected a larger conflict within Trump’s first term over the role of U.S. forces in domestic affairs.

More recently, Esper has been among ex-Trump administration officials who have questioned his pick to head the FBI, Kash Patel.

Esper said Patel almost compromised a special forces operation to rescue an American hostage in West Africa by leading his superiors to falsely believe American forces had airspace clearance to conduct the operation — a charge that a spokesperson for Patel has denied.

Trump has also revoked security details for other previous officials-turned-critics: Former national security adviser John Bolton, former CIA Director Mike Pompeo, and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman retired Gen. Mark Milley, all of whom Iran has threatened. 

Milley, whose security detail was removed on January 28 alongside the revocation of his security clearance, has frequently lambasted Trump, calling him a “fascist” publicly and in books.

Trump, in turn, has suggested the retired general should be executed, and on his first day back in office he decried pardons that former President Biden issued for Milley and other Trump foes.