Trump mocked the ears of the head of the secret service and called him 'Dumbo & # 39;

President Trump released officials of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday, one day after forcing the resignation of his secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, as he accelerated the cleansing of the country's immigration and security officials.

The White House has announced the departure of Randolph Alles, director of the secret services, who has fallen out of favor with the president even before an attack on the safety of his club in Mar-a-Lago, which the agency had in fact attributed to M's employees. Trump.

Government officials, who asked not to be identified during discussions of staff changes prior to their announcement, indicated that at least two to four other high-ranking personalities affiliated with Ms. Nielsen would soon be leaving their posts, thus weakening the hierarchy of the department responsible for border management. security, presidential security, the fight against terrorism, natural disasters, customs and others.

The wave of departures of officials originally named by Mr. Trump has highlighted his growing frustration with his administration's handling of immigration and other security issues. In recent days, Trump has threatened to completely close the Southwest border for the sole purpose of backtracking and giving Mexico one year's notice of warnings of the significant economic damage caused by such a situation. movement.

The reshuffle, intervened more than two years after the beginning of Mr. Trump's term, indicated that he was still looking for a team capable of satisfying his desire for an even stricter approach to l & # 39; immigration. He also highlighted the lasting influence of Stephen Miller, the president's senior adviser, who complained of recalcitrant internal security agents.

Some of the president's allies have complained of going too far, eliminating subordinates who shared his immigration goals, under the urging of White House aides to scapegoat for failing to control the border as he had promised.

"Without names, there are people in the White House who talk about immigration," said Senator Charles Grbadley, Republican of Iowa, during an interview. "They did not do a lot of things, so they have to find another way to show off."

The latest reshuffle took place just a day after Trump deterred Nielsen from doing enough to secure the border and three days after Ronald Vitiello, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was asked to withdraw. so that the administration could go in a "more difficult direction", as Mr. Trump said.

Officials said they expect to see the departure of L. Francis Cissna, head of US citizenship and immigration services; Kathy Nuebel Kovarik, one of his leading deputies; and John Mitnick, General Counsel for the Ministry and senior manager of Ms. Nielsen's management team. According to Miller, they would all be considered impediments to the implementation of the President's policy.

Since the inauguration of President Trump, White House staff and cabinet members have resigned one after the other.

The White House is also calling for the resignation of Acting Assistant Secretary Claire Grady who, by law, would normally replace Ms. Nielsen. Mr. Trump has already announced his intention to install Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, as interim replacement for Ms. Nielsen, which he will not be able to do if Ms. Grady remains in office.

The latter movements seem to have been cleansed by officials badociated with John Kelly, former chief of staff of US President and First Secretary of Homeland Security, who was fired at the end of last year after months of tension with Trump.

Mr. Alles, a retired naval general who served with Mr. Kelly in the military and pbades near Tex, was the first outsider to the secret service to lead the agency in addition to 39, a century. Some administration officials said he was struggling to put himself in the place. in.

On the instructions of Trump, Mick Mulvaney, Acting Chief of Staff of the White House, told Mr. Alles at least 10 days ago to wait for a transition after two years in power. and to develop an exit plan, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

Trump, who talks with members of his secret service, seized Mr. Alles some time ago, convinced that his outsider status was not popular among agents, said officials. The president even mocked the director's appearance, calling him Dumbo because of his ears. But an ally of Alles's secret service disputed the idea that he was out of place, saying the director was highly regarded among the workforce.

Mr. Alles was asked to develop an exit plan before the arrest of a Chinese woman carrying an anti-malware device in Mar-a-Lago, thus revealing security flaws private club. The secret services were so disturbed that they issued a statement reproaching club staff for not following their guests well enough.

Some secret service officials said Monday that they suspected that Alles' departure had been accelerated in part because of this episode.

The White House did not mention this in its statement announcing the departure of Mr. Alles shortly after CNN reported it.

Mr. Alles "has done a great job at the agency over the past two years and the President is grateful for his over 40 years of service in the country," said Sarah Huckabee Sanders, press officer for the White House, in its release.

She said that he would be replaced in May by James M. Murray, a secret service career official who oversees protection operations.

Mr. Alles was at the center of an early battle between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kelly during the early months of administration. According to former administration officials, Mr. Kelly has threatened to resign from his position as Secretary of Homeland Security if Mr. Alles was not appointed Director of the Secret Service.

Randolph Alles, the director of the secret services, was instructed 10 days ago to present an exit plan and was to leave on his own. CreditsDavid Goldman / Associated Press

In an email to his staff on Monday, Alles confirmed that his departure was ordered by the president last month.

"You've probably seen reports in the media about my" dismissal ", he wrote. "I badure you this is not the case and, in fact, the administration said a few weeks ago that leadership transitions should be scheduled within the Department of Homeland Security.

"The president has led an orderly transition in the direction of this agency and I intend to respect this directive," he added. "I sincerely regret not being able to speak to staff before this announcement."

Regardless of when the decision was made, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, Democratic leader, said that Mr. Alles should testify before Congress about the violation of Mar-a-Lago.

"The public and Congress need to know to what extent opposing governments – like China – and their agents are trying to access conversations or other national security information about President Trump's properties, or monitor them electronically, "he said.

Mr. Trump's allies were not all happy with the movements.

"There is no doubt that Cissna has proven his competence, in many things he does – things for which the president is founded," Grbadley said. Addressing Mr. Cissna and Ms. Kovarik, who were formerly working in his staff, Mr. Grbadley said, "If he gets rid of these two people, he's dedicated to the work." failure because I do not know anyone else at the ministry or at least in immigration. "Who could do better.

An administration official said that Mr Cissna had angered Mr Miller by refusing to make any changes to the asylum policy without congressional approval. Under current legislation, unauthorized immigrants who are at risk of expulsion quickly may seek asylum before an immigration judge if they are credibly fearful of arresting them. to be persecuted or tortured.

As for Ms. Nielsen, she did not regret her departure on Monday and thanked Mr. Trump "for the tremendous opportunity" to serve his country and the employees of his department for their efforts to secure it.

The last departures, as well as the previous vacancies, will leave the Department of Homeland Security without a permanent secretary, deputy secretary, two under-secretaries, director of secret services, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, director of ICE, Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Inspector General, Chief Financial Officer, Privacy Officer and, once Mr. McAleenan moved, Commissioner of Customs and Protection of Privacy borders.

"The purge of senior officials in the Department of Homeland Security is unprecedented and a threat to our national security," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California.

Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, complained of "Congressional malfunction" in dealing with border security, but added, "I am concerned about the void growing leadership within the department problems that the nation faces. "

The New York Times