Ex-Trump Defense Secretary Says Trump ‘Not Fit For Office’ Of President

- June 4, 2026
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged Wednesday that he threatened to “kick ass” during a heated confrontation last year, while firmly denying reports that he threatened to punch the now-acting Director of National Intelligence “in the face.”

The unusual exchange emerged during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) pressed Bessent about reports surrounding a confrontation between the two Trump administration officials during the summer of 2025.

According to Bessent, one key detail in the widely circulated account was inaccurate.

While he denied threatening.

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Seijah Drake was born in Boston, MA, where she developed a penchant for writing early on and a passion for politics in college. After college she worked briefly for a conservative media in New York before relocating to the Greater D.C. Area to pursue a career in political marketing. She now resides in the free state of Florida.

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper meets with Bulgarian Minister of Defence Dr. Krasimir Karakachanov at the Pentagon, Arlington, VA, Oct. 6, 2020. (DoD Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders) [Photo Credit: U.S. Secretary of Defense, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]
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ANALYSIS – Why do so many of Donald Trump’s former top advisors say he’s “not fit for office” due to his character and actions while president? Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, who worked closely with Trump for a year and a half, has said that the former president is “not fit for office.”

The most recent to say that is former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Trump’s ex-defense chief reaffirmed his views on the former president in a recent TV interview.

The segment, reported by Breitbart, which began by discussing the most recent criminal charges being levied against Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, turned to Esper’s views of his former boss.

Esper, a former Army officer, was fired from his post after Trump lost the 2020 election. He told Kaitlan Collins on CNN that he doesn’t plan on endorsing anyone in the GOP primary but made clear that he doesn’t support Trump because he puts himself first, not America.

Esper said:

I don’t plan on endorsing anybody. I said that I wouldn’t support Donald Trump. I don’t think that he is fit for office because he puts himself first and I think anyone running for office should put the country first. And they should abide by their oath and do a number of other things.

He added that the GOP needs a nominee who will grow the party: “I’m looking for somebody who puts the country first, a person who will abide by their oath, who will advance traditional, Republican policies and objectives and who will bring the Republican Party together and grow the party.”

Esper also said Trump has proven he isn’t a winner: “You have to win elections, and Donald Trump is not winning elections whether they are House, Senate or White House. That’s what Republicans need to do.”

The former Trump defense chief emphasized that at least half of the dozen current Republican candidates for president are very credible and could beat Joe Biden, noting that he was willing to “Assist any one of them, help them.” (RELATED: Tucker To Host Presidential Forum, There’s Just One Problem)

Collins concluded by noting: “We talked about this many times, but to hear someone who was the Pentagon chief for a now candidate for president saying that you would willingly help his challengers who are running against him just speaks to the moment that we are in.”

While he didn’t name any specific candidates in this interview, he has praised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a veteran of the war in Iraq, as one of those in the “next generation” who looks like a promising presidential candidate, reported the New York Post.

“He did a great job in Florida. He brought more Hispanics on board. He appears to me to be the frontrunner,” Esper said of DeSantis.

Esper first called Trump unfit for office back in November 2022 after he announced he was running again in 2024.

“I think he’s unfit for office,” Esper said in an interview with CNN.

Esper added that Trump “has integrity and character issues as well,” describing one of those “character issues” as Trump’s difficulty with telling the truth, noting that he believes Americans want a trustworthy commander-in-chief.

“I don’t think he’s an honest person. We saw the falsehoods that came out of his remarks last night … Americans need a leader they can trust,” Esper said.

And John Kelly, former Trump Chief of Staff and a retired four-star Marine Corps general, agrees with Esper. Since Trump left office, Kelly has reportedly said Trump was the “most flawed person” he has ever met. (RELATED: Bill O’Reilly Slams Fox News For Putting ‘Money Over Honesty’)

“The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else. He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life,” Kelly told friends, according to a report by CNN in 2020.

Kelly has also warned of the dangers to the country of a second term for Trump, telling The New York Times that it “…would be chaotic, because he’d continually be trying to exceed his authority but the sycophants would go along with it.”

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

READ NEXT: Trump Blames Frenemy For Strategic Blunder – Can He Dismiss These Receipts?

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Paul Crespo

Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.

27 Comments
    Jerry Dunford

    John Bolton, is the last man on earth that any sane human being would believe or follow his judgements. Screw that SNAKE, what a rotten Bastard he is.

    John

    Notice the leftis coward does not reveal name? who is it AOC Communist bar maid?

    Stephen Russell

    Damn coward, what does he know
    Damn RINO

      Cayman

      Not really a RINO. A War Monger who will support massive war for whoever is president.

    Don Spilman

    Esper is an idiot turn coat, and John Bolton should be tried for sedition at best flat out treason even better!!!!!!!

      Ricky

      Is Esper trying to hide some of his personal lifestyle issues that most Christians and conservatives consider immoral? Maybe or maybe not. Maybe he will come out and let us know so we can make a more valid judgement or should we ask some of his “friends”?

      Don

      Exactly….Esper is probably being paid to dis Trump and he and Bolton both are as phony as Biden.

    Don Spilman

    Crespo is acting as a jaundiced urinalist here

    Donald Louis Steigel

    Believe what you like. Trump has put America first from the beginning.

    Rocco

    ALL of those people were plants courtesy of the RGOP! Rino division of GOP. Think back to the beginning of the Trump presidency, every time someone became a part of the administration the GOP statement was that they were there to keep Trump in check. The GOP was blindsided by Trump being elected, and that he was still there after the impeachments, special councils, attempted set-ups, lies, and weaponizing of ALL branches. What a great contender! He is still standing, and still fighting. It is pretty much guaranteed, he will be selecting his own people this time, with no snakes like the military leaders, or like Michelin man BArr, who had the goods on Biden Ukraine deal, and purposely kept it secret!
    It seems to me,Trump is the only choice in 2024!

      LaJo

      Rocco….I’ve been trying to put these thoughts into words….you did it perfectly…..Trump’s a fighter….he doesn’t give up….he really is the only way I can see out of this….Trump has the experience and will be more aware of the workings of the swamp….and the enemies within…..

    Deplorable Mark

    Must have never met Obummer or SloJoe.

      Ricky

      Was that a typing error and should be SloppyJoe? Was Obummer sloppy seconds?

        DennisBAnderson

        That`s Buck Foe Jiden and the one and only Obie 2 Tone.

    Rebecca King

    I will take Donald J. Trump for President 2024! No tellin who in the GOP is another Deep Stater! We KNOW Trump is not!

    Rainell N

    I find it laughable that Esper, Bolton and Kelly are coming forward to tell the American people that Trump is unfit. Isn’t that pot calling the kettle black? Sure it is… They lied to him, they did whatever they wanted, and still loyal and being led by Barack Obama. Not one time did they step up and help him lead this country. There orders that were given to lead him astray. Giving mixed messages. Each of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Did you put your country 1st? No… you wanted to put us in a war. You sold your souls to the enemies of the people. My goodness what a bunch of cry babies. He won’t come and play in our sand box! He hit me, he wouldn’t listen to me (Wah,Wah,Wah!)

    Larry C

    Esper and Kelly let us know who in Washington puts America first. Can’t wait to hear who you back.

    Steve Harmon

    Whatever, LOSER!!!!
    #Trump2024NowMoreThanEver

    Paul

    Bolton, Esper, Kelly, et al……………. living proof that Trump needs to be allowed his rightful second term in order to finish draining the swamp.

    LJP

    Yet they endorse the un-American criminal traitor they put in 🤣

    ClydeP

    Notice that the big names in the Mikitary Industrial Complex, the ones Eisenhower warned us about and the ines who killed JFK, are the newly outspoken critics on Trump.

    Trump’s biggest error in his 1st term was relying on peopke he thought or was told shared his vision. Instead, these people were/are dedicated to maintaining the status quo in DC.

    Jawad

    Mr. Trump made one mistake: to hire these sorry RINO losers who would turn on him once the chips were down. Let us not forget craven Jeff Sessions and sanctimonious Mike Pence. A pox upon them all!

    MD Anthony

    Neo Con Warmongers Esper and Bolton must love Biden. After all Biden is turning America back into the War Mongering Nation Trump was shutting down.

    phyllis briggs

    NONE IS TRUE. EVERYONE THINKING OF THEMSELVES FIRST!!!

    Ty

    A prime example of a person posing as a Republican solely for the purpose of damaging the party, Esper relies on hearsay, rumors, and innuendo to engage in ad hominem attacks. If you oppose Trump because of his policies be honest enough to say so, and offer your alternative ideas. If you don’t like Trump personally, be man enough to say so–don’t hide in the gutter and squeal like a rat.

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