Trump's shortlist of sackings if he wins

Whatever the result in the US election certain key Trump cabinet members are going to be out of a job. Top of the list appears to be poor Mark Esper at the Pentagon. Dr Esper as he likes to be called has not been the most inspirational US defence (defense) secretary and he stuck his neck out once too often when dealing with his commander-in-chief. He wanted nothing to do with having troops on the streets during the Washington protests and showed about as much enthusiasm for bringing all US troops from Afghanistan back home by Christmas as a diner sitting in front of a plate of novichok salad. So if Trump wins reelection, Esper is out out out. If Biden wins, Esper is also out out out. Biden has in mind Michele Flournoy, a former head honcho on defence policy at the Pentagon and the founder of one of the hugely influential security think-tanks in DC. There is no possibility that Biden will ask Esper to stay on as Pentagon chief. Obama asked Bob Gates to stay as defence secretary when he took over from George W Bush. But Esper is no Gates. Then there's Gina Haspel, director of the CIA. Under normal circumstances she would expect to have to step down if Biden wins because he will have someone else lined up for such a crucial appointment. But if Trump wins, she might be out too. She has been at pains not to raise her head too much above the parapet since she took over. Her appointment after a career of covert intelligence service was well received within the CIA community. But she committed one grave error in the eyes of Donald Trump. She failed to leap to action when Trump was demanding a full-scale inquiry into his accusation that Obama secretly investigated him and the alleged links to Russia. She and others in the intelligence world said there was no evidence of any such thing. Even William Barr, the attorney general who is or was a Trumpite, didn't show much enthusiasm. Nor did Christopher Wray, the FBI director whose days are definitely numbered. So Gina Haspel might get the chop, and the FBI chief and maybe Barr as well, although he might survive a Trump reelection provided he shows 100 per cent loyalty and devotion. Anyone associated with health policy implementation will get the chop if Trump wins because he will want a clean sheet. Especially Dr Anthony Fauci, the virus-warning scientist who has fallen out with Trump so many times it's amazing he can still stand up. The only Trump appointee on the national security side likely to survive in his job if the 45th president wins is Mike Pompeo. He has remained totally loyal, although his failure to hand Kim Jong-un on a surrender plate may count against him. So there are going to be lots of new faces in the Washington establishment whether Trump or Biden is sitting in the Oval Office on January 20 2021.