Mark T. Esper

Mark T. Esper is an American politician and former military officer who served as the 27th United States Secretary of Defense from July 2019 to November 2020. Prior to his appointment, he held various roles in both the public and private sectors, including as the Secretary of the Army. Esper has a military background, having served in the U.S. Army and later the Army National Guard. He has been involved in defense policy and military strategy, often emphasizing the importance of alliances and coalition-building in addressing global security challenges. Esper's tenure as Secretary of Defense was marked by significant issues such as U.S. relations with NATO allies, military operations in the Middle East, and changing dynamics with adversarial nations like Russia and China.