Top Defense Department official, John Rood, is expected to leave the Trump administration after losing support from other national security leaders, CNN reported Wednesday. They had two unidentified sources.
He was told to resign.
John Rood, undersecretary of Defense for policy at the Pentagon, is set to exit his post following a request for his resignation, a source told the news network.
Rood, who assumed his position in 2018, serves as a principal adviser to Defense Secretary Mark Esper. he coordinates national security policy within the Pentagon as part of his role. He also oversees areas that deal with the country’s partnership with foreign allies, like funds to Ukraine.
Lucas Tomlinson with Fox News tweeted, “Pentagon’s top policy adviser has drafted a resignation letter and plans to resign, U.S. official confirms.
“It’s not immediately clear why John Rood is resigning or who ordered him to leave. ‘He was told to resign,’ the official said.”
HE DIDN’T LIKE HOLDING BACK FUNDS FROM UKRAINE
CNN reported, hours after Trump’s July 25th phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the subject of the impeachment, Rood emailed Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who was in the job for only two days. He told him about an upcoming deputies meeting, “to discuss the President’s concern about endemic corruption in Ukraine. Rood added his point of view that the U.S. should cease providing security assistance.” This is according to emails reviewed by CNN.
Rood notes in his email to the secretary that “placing a hold on security assistance at this time would jeopardize this unique window of opportunity and undermine our defense priorities with a key partner in the strategic competition with Russia.”
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The Pentagon declined to comment on the expected departure.
Jennifer Jacobs with Bloomberg tweeted: “John Rood has stepped down as the top policy official at the Defense Department. He was involved in certifying to Congress that Ukraine was eligible to receive $250 million in security assistance.”
His exit was very dignified — so far.
Pentagon policy chief John Rood’s resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/l8by9rNjEA
— paul mcleary (@paulmcleary) February 19, 2020
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