Trump’s Acting Defense Chief Elevates U.S. Special Forces

  • Miller is on first trip since Esper was fired last week
  • Trip follows decision to drawdown forces in Afghanistan, Iraq
Christopher MillerPhotographer: Joshua Roberts/Reuters/Bloomberg
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Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller elevated the standing of U.S. special forces in the Pentagon hierarchy, a move reflecting his background as a former Green Beret and President Donald Trump’s pledge to withdraw from “endless wars.”

During a visit Wednesday to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Miller signed a memo providing for the assistant secretary for special operations to report directly to the defense secretary rather than through the undersecretary for policy, a change that Congress has mandated.