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Anderson has served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy since John Rood was sacked by the Trump administration in February over disagreements on a range of political issues.
It was not immediately clear whether Anderson had been asked to resign.
Anderson has been in the Pentagon since 2018, first serving as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities, then becoming Assistant Under Secretary of Defense for Policy before taking the political post. after Rood’s ouster.
In his farewell message to his staff, Anderson said, “I leave with the knowledge that the team will preserve, no matter what comes next. I encourage everyone to stay mission-focused, non-political and never forget your oath. “
The president dumped Esper two days after his Democratic opponent Joe Biden was cast as the winner of the presidential election, a conclusion Trump refused to accept.
Doubts about the future of other senior national security officials
Esper’s sacking has raised concerns that other senior national security officials who have won Trump’s ire may be vulnerable.
CNN reported on Monday that Trump and some of his Tory allies have grown increasingly frustrated with CIA Director Gina Haspel in recent weeks, accusing her of delaying the release of documents they say expose plots so-called “deep state” against Trump’s campaign and transition during the Obama administration, according to several current and former officials.
FBI Director Christopher Wray also angered Trump, fueling some uncertainty about his future, the sources said.
Trump brought in Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, to lead the Pentagon for what will likely be the rest of his administration.
Miller has been a driving force behind some of Trump’s policies targeting Iran and his proxy group Hezbollah, as well as counterterrorism efforts linked to the wars in Syria and Iraq. Prior to leading the NCTC, Miller was Director of Counterterrorism at the National Security Council.
A native of Iowa and a retired U.S. Army officer, Miller also served as the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Defense. Miller was seen arriving at the Pentagon on Monday afternoon, and soon after met with Milley and other senior officials for critical briefings on issues such as nuclear codes and military operations around the world. Miller told officials not to expect “significant changes at this time,” the official said.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen and Nicole Gaouette contributed to this report.
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