Defense Secretary Mark Esper had a topsy-turvy Wednesday.
Early in the day, Esper said he didn't didn't think nationwide protests against police brutality warranted invoking the Insurrection Act, in contrast to President Trump's apparent willingness to deploy active-duty military to aid city police forces. The Pentagon was also prepared to send about 200 troops on standby in the Washington, D.C., area back to their home bases Wednesday, with the remaining forces ready to head home in the next few days if things remained calm. But the secretary's comments and the department's decision to send even a portion of the troops home apparently angered the White House.
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