Trump announces James Mattis as next Secretary of Defense
The retired marine general is known for his blunt approach toward the US military and Middle East conflicts
IsraelDefense
| 02/12/2016
Photo: AP
Donald Trump has selected the retired marine general James Mattis to serve as his first Pentagon chief, reports The Guardian.
“I don’t want to tell you to this, I refuse to tell you, don’t let it outside of this room. I will not tell you that one of our great great generals, don’t let it outside, we are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense and we’re not announcing it until Monday so don’t tell it to anybody,” said Trump at an Ohio rally on the first day for his “thank you tour.”
The Guardian reports that Mattis has deep wells of support on Capitol Hill and in the military. Unlike Trump’s other announced nominees, Mattis is unlikely to receive a contentious confirmation hearing for the defense secretary job, even though he will need a special waiver from Congress because he has not been out of uniform for the requisite seven years.
Mattis’s appointment comes with much establishment hope attached. Many in Republican national security circles who opposed Trump have faith that the forceful Mattis can moderate Trump and bureaucratically neutralize Mike Flynn, the president-elect’s pick for national security adviser. But Mattis has enough points of policy agreement with Trump to make his integration with the Trump hardliners as strong a possibility.
The retired marine general is known for his blunt approach toward the US military and Middle East conflicts
Photo: AP
Donald Trump has selected the retired marine general James Mattis to serve as his first Pentagon chief, reports The Guardian.
“I don’t want to tell you to this, I refuse to tell you, don’t let it outside of this room. I will not tell you that one of our great great generals, don’t let it outside, we are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense and we’re not announcing it until Monday so don’t tell it to anybody,” said Trump at an Ohio rally on the first day for his “thank you tour.”
The Guardian reports that Mattis has deep wells of support on Capitol Hill and in the military. Unlike Trump’s other announced nominees, Mattis is unlikely to receive a contentious confirmation hearing for the defense secretary job, even though he will need a special waiver from Congress because he has not been out of uniform for the requisite seven years.
Mattis’s appointment comes with much establishment hope attached. Many in Republican national security circles who opposed Trump have faith that the forceful Mattis can moderate Trump and bureaucratically neutralize Mike Flynn, the president-elect’s pick for national security adviser. But Mattis has enough points of policy agreement with Trump to make his integration with the Trump hardliners as strong a possibility.
