Trump plans to axe defense secretary, FBI, CIA directors, if re-elected, say sources

Donald TrumpIF RE-ELECTED IN NOVEMBER, United States President Donald Trump has laid out plans to replace the secretary of defense, as well as the directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to a new report. The website Axios, which published the report on Sunday, said the US president and his senior advisors have drafted a much longer list of names of senior military and intelligence officials who will be axed in November. However, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, FBI Director Christopher Wray and CIA Director Gina Haspel top the list, said Axios.

The website cited two sources who have allegedly discussed with President Trump himself the fate of these and other officials. The sources told Axios that CIA Director Haspel is “despised and distrusted almost universally” within the president’s inner circle, whose members view her motives with “a lot of suspicion”. Another source familiar with “conversations at the CIA” told Axios that Haspel intends to step down —and possibly retire— “regardless of who wins the election” in November.

Trump is also “incensed” with FBI Director Wray, because he told Congress last month that the Bureau had not detected significant election-related fraud with either online activity or mail-in ballots, according to Axios. Additionally, the president reportedly lost trust in Defense Secretary Esper after he objected to the White House’s plan to deploy active-duty military personnel in major American cities, in response to popular protests sparked by allegations of abusive practices by law enforcement.

Axios added that, despite President Trump’s critical comments about his Attorney General, William Barr, in recent weeks, he has no “formal plans” to replace him at the present time.

Author: Joseph Fitsanakis | Date: 26 October 2020 | Permalink

4 Responses to Trump plans to axe defense secretary, FBI, CIA directors, if re-elected, say sources

  1. Bearing in mind most of these positions were filled under Trump’s reign, it should come as no surprise to all Americans that Trump is viewed as the equivalent of a budding banana republic “El Presidente”. The world needs stability and leadership at this juncture in the global pandemic. Millions outside the USA are praying that the US election is the start of a return to the values that made the USA truly great … and that was long before Trump left school to set about a corrupt nepotistic career based on deceit.

  2. Nicholas D says:

    This is remarkably Nixonian. If history repeats itself (or even just rhymes), this purge will be followed by a secret plan to use the intelligence services against domestic “terrorists”–i.e. those who dissent. Tom Huston, call your office.

  3. Pete says:

    All these past and projected sackings by Trump are weakening America’s foreign, defense forces and its intelligence apparatus.

    These Trump actions actually help China, noting China’s very stable leadership team compared to the US.

  4. Mosses says:

    Good not only fire dismantle FBI you can’t trust them



You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s

%d bloggers like this: