Defense Secretary Mark Esper Faces White House Pressure

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is facing a hemorrhage of talent as senior officials resign amid continued efforts by the White House to purge those perceived as political foes, including the Army lieutenant colonel who testified in the House impeachment hearings.

The challenge of managing White House pressures and concerns about morale inside the Pentagon confronts Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, who is already in a precarious position with President Trump. Mr. Esper angered the president this month by breaking publicly with him over whether active-duty military troops should be sent to control the wave of protests in American cities.

The issue is immediately on Mr. Esper’s agenda, after the Army this week forwarded him a list of hundreds of officers who are set to be promoted to the next rank, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Included on the list is Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, a decorated combat veteran who served on the staff of the White House’s National Security Council, where he ran afoul of Mr. Trump after testifying against him in the House impeachment hearings.

The White House had made clear to officials in the Pentagon’s office of personnel and readiness, which handles such staffing, that Mr. Trump did not want to see Colonel Vindman promoted, the officials said. In fact, when they saw an earlier draft version of the list two weeks ago, National Security Council staff members even told their Defense Department counterparts they had evidence of misconduct by Colonel Vindman.