Trump White House asked VA secretary to run Pentagon if president fires DOD's Esper

President Donald Trump is reportedly plotting yet another major shakeup to his cabinet.

Sources tell NBC News that Trump is intent on replacing Defense Secretary Mark Esper and potentially replacing him with Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie.

There have been rumblings for months that Trump is unhappy with his Pentagon chief, whom Defense Department officials reportedly refer to as "Yesper" due to his unwillingness to stand up to the president.

"Trump has told aides for months that he is unhappy with Esper and wants to fire him," reports NBC News. "Trump's allies inside and outside the White House have told him that shaking up leadership at the Pentagon before the Nov. 3 election would create turmoil in his administration during the closing weeks of the campaign. It would come at a time when the president is planning to reduce the number of U.S. forces in hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan."