In these chaotic, unprecedented political times, several Americans stepped forward to remind us of the meaning of courage. They have withstood partisan condemnation and threats of bodily harm to take stands for the rule of law.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper was “terminated” by a tweet from President Trump on Nov. 9. A graduate of West Point, Esper had served in the Army for 10 years, including a tour during the Gulf War with the 101st Airborne Division. Subsequently, he had worked as a Senate staffer, a vice president for a defense contractor, and had earned advanced degrees at Harvard and George Washington University. Esper was confirmed as Secretary of the Army in summer 2017. Following nomination as Trump’s fourth Secretary of Defense, Esper was confirmed by a 90-to-8 Senate vote in July 2019.
Esper earned the president’s wrath when he refused to send active duty military forces into cities afflicted by riots in summer 2020. Esper considered such a move illegal. He was backed by Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Christopher Krebs served as director of cybersecurity and infrastructure in the Department of Homeland Security. Before his presidential appointment in 2017, Krebs had worked as director of cybersecurity policy for Microsoft. Several days after the votes for president were tallied, Krebs declared, “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.” The president “terminated” him by tweet on Nov. 17.
On Dec. 1, attorney Joseph di Genova, whom Trump had earlier named as a member of his post-elecion legal team, called on a TV show for Krebs to “be drawn and quartered. Taken out at dawn and shot.” The attorney later said he was speaking in jest. Neither the president nor those in his circle condemed the remarks.