It didn’t take long for the shoe to drop. It was only yesterday that the Washington Post noted, “Mattis has been repeatedly overruled by Trump in recent months and left out of key discussions as the president pursues his own national security path.”
General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
….equipment. General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
Defense Secretary James Mattis has resigned. Here’s the letter: pic.twitter.com/e2PulyXpXZ
— Elizabeth McLaughlin (@Elizabeth_McLau) December 20, 2018
Mattis writes, “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.”
I’ll post a transcript of the letter in readable form when/if I can find it.
So, what does this leave us with, Jarvanka, Mulvaney, and maybe a trained seal or two juggling balls?
