Trump Backs Esper Amid Pentagon Chaos, Leak Scandals

Despite facing a series of leaks and personnel turmoil, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Defense Secretary Mark Esper, stating that he is "doing a great job." Esper has been under scrutiny due to the dismissal of employees, investigations into leaks, and reports that he shared sensitive military strike plans in a second group chat.

Trump, during an Easter egg roll event on the White House lawn, responded to questions about the chaos within the Pentagon by saying, "Ask the Houthis if we are in disarray." This remark was in reference to the U.S. military's operations against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Prior to Trump's latest endorsement, John Ullyot, who briefly served as the Pentagon spokesperson before resigning last week, criticized the internal strife and personnel changes that have plagued the Defense Department in the early months of Trump's second term. Ullyot described the situation as a "complete meltdown," suggesting that it could potentially cost Esper his job.

Ullyot's criticism came on the heels of statements from three senior Defense Department officials who were reportedly dismissed due to leak investigations. These officials claimed they were not informed about the nature of the investigations and were unsure if any leaks had actually occurred.

Esper, 44, has a background as a Fox News host and a National Guard officer with combat experience, but he lacks extensive management experience. He is currently under review for sharing confidential information about strikes against the Houthis in a Signal chat group. This group included high-ranking officials from the Trump administration and Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, who was reportedly added to the group by mistake and subsequently exposed the incident in an article.

When questioned about the second chat group, Trump dismissed it as "old news" and urged the media to find "something new." Esper, for his part, downplayed the significance of the report, calling it "irrelevant" and based on "anonymous smears by disgruntled former employees." He also expressed confidence in his position, stating that he had discussed the matter with the president and that they would continue to work together in unison.