The Minnesota native has shown himself breathtakingly unprepared to lead, unwilling to admit mistakes and adamant that no course correction is needed. The political divide in this country is great, but on this we can agree: The lives of our troops abroad matter more than partisan differences at home.

The defense secretary’s inner circle is in disarray, and distrust is growing among civil servants and senior military officials.

The latest upheaval at the Pentagon comes amid a widening purge of national security officials by the Trump administration that has reached every level of U.S. military leadership, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top Navy admiral and the military's top lawyers.