Dead Drop: November 29

LOSING CONFIDENCE: On Sunday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer that he had lost confidence in him and would like him to shove off. Spencer did so, but not before firing a broadside at the Commander in Chief in a “I hereby acknowledge my termination” letter. In the document, Spencer said he could no longer serve since he is on a different page than the POTUS when it comes to good order and discipline. Interestingly, the axing came about four months after Spencer threw the nominee for Chief of Naval Operations overboard because he “lost confidence in his judgment.”  In explaining his move against Spencer, Esper told reporters it was NOT because of Spencer’s stance about the wisdom of a group of SEALs considering yanking convicted Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher’s SEAL trident pin.  No, Esper says it was because he was stunned to discover on Friday that Spencer was having back channel discussions with the White House about doing precisely what the White House wanted. Unhappy with this – on Sunday Esper asked for (and got) Spencer’s resignation and then he immediately gave the White House what they wanted – no action on Gallagher’s SEAL status. Later on Sunday, Esper recommended that the current Ambassador to Norway, Ken Braithwaite (a retired reserve Navy rear admiral) to be the next Secretary of the Navy.  The President immediately tweeted his support. But our sources tell us that Braithwaite was already in the neighborhood – and was at the U.S. Naval Academy’s football game on Saturday against SMU and may have been aware that he would be Spencer’s successor before Spencer knew he was departing.

TRUMP AND FRIENDS:  The Daily Beast, citing sources, says that President Trump is considering going on the campaign trail with some of the servicemen he recently pardoned for alleged war crimes. “Two people tell The Daily Beast they’ve heard Trump talk about how he’d like to have the now-cleared Clint Lorance, Matthew Golsteyn, or Edward Gallagher show up at his 2020 rallies, or even have a moment on stage at his renomination convention in Charlotte next year.”