(CNN) The deputy chief of staff to the secretary of defense has resigned, a US defense official told CNN on Thursday, becoming the latest official to depart the Pentagon amid a purge that began Monday when President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Alexis Ross has resigned, the official said, joining now-former chief of staff Jen Stewart and the top Pentagon officials overseeing policy and intelligence, all three of whom had submitted their resignations Tuesday. The moves will likely only add to the sense of chaos within the Pentagon following Trump's firing of Esper by tweet. Esper was replaced by Christopher Miller, who was the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. The President jettisoned him two days after his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, was projected as the winner of the presidential election, a conclusion that Trump has refused to publicly acknowledge.

Source: CNN November 13, 2020 01:23 UTC