U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had "terminated" Defense Secretary Mark Esper, appearing to use his final months in office after his election defeat to settle scores within his administration. Trump split with Esper over a range of issues and was particularly angered by Esper's public opposition to Trump's threats to use active duty military forces this summer to suppress street protests over racial injustice after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump said on Twitter that Christopher Miller, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, was taking over as acting secretary of defense.