Trump still backing defence secretary despite comments over military, press secretary says
Donald Trump still has confidence in Mark Esper despite the defence secretary breaking with the president over whether to use active-duty military troops to quell protests around George Floyd's death while in police custody.
"As of now, Secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday. "Should [he] lose faith, we will all learn about that in the future."
Mr Esper said he is opposed to the president possible using his powers under the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to quell protests in many US major cities objecting to Mr Floyd's death at the hands of white police officers in Minneapolis; Mr Floyd was a black man. The defence secretary told reporters earlier in the day that using active forces should be a "last" option for Mr Trump.
On that act, Ms McEnany said Mr Trump considers using it still an option as she railed against protests she called "riots."
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