Defense Secretary Mark Esper has reportedly written a resignation letter even before the presidential election's final results.

Three current defense officials confirmed that Esper had prepared a resignation letter.

Cabinet secretaries usually prepare undated resignation letters as preparation for a new governing administration. It gives the newly elected president the chance to replace them for a second term.

The president, as commander-in-chief, decides whether they would accept the resignation letter. This usually happens after the election results are clear.

However, defense officials said that Esper prepared the resignation letter because he is one of the Cabinet members expected to be removed from the position, as reported by NBC News. 

Esper is helping Congress members draft legislation that will remove the names of Confederate leaders from military bases, a move that could widen the gap between him and President Donald Trump.

Esper is also considering releasing an order that would instruct the Army, Navy, and Air Force secretaries to change the names in their respective services. However, this order could be reversed by Trump.

Esper provided a written framework to Pentagon leaders this week for the renaming installations. Officials said this could even change ships and street names on bases that honor Confederate generals or leaders.

In the framework, it was stated that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could say that military installations cannot be named after someone who committed a felony or has betrayed the United States.

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Instead, it must be named after people who have earned a Medal of Honor or Silver Star or achieving the rank of general.

Jonathan Hoffman, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said the rumors about possible resignations of Cabinet officials is a well-work post-election parlor game.

Hoffman said that Esper continues to serve the nation as the secretary of defense at the president's pleasure. He added that Esper is currently working at the Pentagon on the irreversible implementation of the National Defense Strategy.

The NDAA is expected to be passed during a lame-duck session of Congress in the coming weeks. Trump would have to sign it to pass it to law. The NDAA highlights the military's budget and policies. 

Long-time Strife

Earlier reports said that Trump and Esper have long been at odds. The president and the defense official have disagreed on the use of active-duty military force to ease protests.

NBC reported that back in June, Esper reversed his decision to send home some active-duty troops deployed to Washington, D.C. amid protests over the death of George Floyd at the time.

Esper made the decision after a meeting at the White House. But despite this, he still said that he disagreed with using the military in a law enforcement role. 

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Esper added that he does not think that the troops are needed to be used in a local protest since they have more than enough National Guard capacity out there.

"The option to use active-duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort and only in the most urgent and dire situations," Esper stressed in an NBC News report.