The 'last adult' left the White House: the head of the Pentagon resigns

US Defense Secretary James Mattis will resign in February, President Donald Trump said. Mattis has worked in the White House since January 2016, when Trump became president. In his letter to the president, Mattis explained his desire to leave his post by a difference of views with the American leader. The day before, Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.

Фото: Depositphotos

On the upcoming retirement of Mattis Trump объявил on Twitter.

“General Jim Mattis will retire with honors at the end of February, having served in my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years,” the president wrote. “During Jim’s tenure, we have made tremendous progress, especially in the acquisition of new military equipment.”

“General Mattis has been a tremendous asset to me in encouraging our allies and other countries to live up to their military commitments,” President Trump added.

He also announced that a new defense minister would be appointed soon, and warmly thanked Mattis for his service.

Do not agree on views

A half-page letter from Mattis, dated December 20, leaves no reason to doubt the reasons for his departure from the Trump administration. Eve president объявил on the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.

Photo by wikipedia.org

Also on Thursday evening, the Wall Street Journal, the CNN television channel and the Reuters news agency reported, citing sources in the US government, that the White House is considering a plan to significantly reduce the size of the American contingent in Afghanistan.

“One of the core beliefs I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships,” Mattis wrote. “We cannot protect our interests without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to our allies.”

The head of the Pentagon also noted that the approach of the United States to countries whose strategic interests contradict American, should be firm and unshakable.

“It is clear, for example, that China and Russia want to build the world according to their authoritarian model, (...) to advance their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, the United States and our allies,” Mattis said.

The Secretary of Defense said that America, in his opinion, should do everything to maintain an international order conducive to its own security and its prosperity.

“Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views better align with your views on these and other issues, I believe it is right to resign,” Mattis concluded.

"Worst Nightmare"

Trump's decision to accept Mattis’s resignation was critically perceived by Washington politicians.

Both Republicans and Democrats highly appreciate the merits of the general, and Trump was criticized for his dismissal, including his party members.

Thus, Republican Senator Susan Collins noted on Twitter that his resignation is a huge loss for the country, for the armed forces and for the current government.

“It is clear that we are heading towards a series of serious policy mistakes that could jeopardize our country, damage our alliances and empower our adversaries,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio described the foreign policy situation.

He expressed the hope that the Republicans will succeed in convincing the president to choose another direction.

And Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said he was reading a letter from the head of the Pentagon with a sagging jaw. According to him, Mattis quit because the president insulted the US allies and was too soft with Russia and China.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal called Mattis’s departure the worst nightmare. In his opinion, the absence of a leader could further destabilize US national security policy.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump is plunging the country into chaos with his actions. “We know that he [Mattis] had serious disagreements with Trump over Syria and the wall [with Mexico],” Schumer said.

President Trump is plunging us into chaos.

The stock market is down 500 points. Secretary Mattis is leaving. Trump over Syria and the wall.

And now, another temper tantrum and a Trump pic.twitter.com/6rCQmEjSKd

- Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 21, 2018

“This is what happens when you ignore the sound advice of the military,” Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger commented on Mattis’ departure. He called the decision of the head of the Pentagon to leave an act of patriotism and upholding his American principles.

The honors of the Trump administration were also honored by Mattis: Energy Minister Rick Perry said that Mattis served 50 years with honor for his country and stood guard over its security.

Former White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, also noted that Mattis had served selflessly and sacrificed himself for the country since joining the marines in 1969.

“The country and our military are a better place because of his service and leadership,” Spicer tweeted.

The “last adult” has left the White House

Rumors about Mattis's resignation have been circulating since the fall, but both the head of the Pentagon and the president denied them. At the same time, in the book “Fear,” Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward said that Mattis, in conversations with his assistants, compared the president’s knowledge and ideas about world problems to the level of a fifth or sixth grade student.

Woodward described how, in April 2017, Trump allegedly suggested to the head of the Pentagon that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad be physically eliminated after he used chemical weapons. Trump allegedly then suggested: “Let’s […] kill them. Let's go in there. Let’s finish them all off […].”

According to Woodward, Mattis promised the president that he would immediately do this, but after hanging up the phone, he told his adviser: “We will not do any of this.”

In the media, Mattis is often called the only adult in the room, talking about the Trump administration. The president, as the New York Times wrote, took offense at these comparisons.

However, back in the fall, commenting on rumors about Mattis’s resignation, Trump said: “He will stay here, we are very pleased with him.” Mattis urged people not to take information about his imminent departure seriously.

Staff turnover

Mattis' resignation is the third top-level White House reshuffle in the past two months. On November 7, immediately after the midterm elections, Trump announced the resignation of Justice Secretary Jeff Sessions.

The appointment of Acting Minister and Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was criticized: he should supervise the investigation of Special Prosecutor Robert Muller, and Whittaker actively scolded him and publicly offered to curtail him.

A month later, on December 7, it became clear that Whittaker would not retain his position. Trump announced that he would nominate William Barr for the post of Attorney General. He already held this post - under George H. W. Bush.

And on December 8, the White House announced that Chief of Staff John Kelly was also leaving his post. By December 2018, his relationship with the president, as reported by American media, had deteriorated - the president allegedly even stopped talking to him.

Kelly, like Mattis, had to publicly deny that he called Trump an idiot. Woodward wrote in his book “Fear” that Kelly, in particular, called the president an idiot.

December 15 Trump announced that the head of the administration of the White House, the head of the administrative and budgetary administration of the US presidential administration Mick Malvaney.

Who will replace Mattis, Trump has promised to announce later.

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