Trump, annoyed by resignation letter, pushes out Mattis early

[webfact]

Trump, annoyed by resignation letter, pushes out Mattis early

By Idrees Ali and Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected, a move officials said was driven by Trump's anger at Mattis' resignation letter and its rebuke of his foreign policy.

 

On Thursday, Mattis had abruptly said he was quitting, effective Feb. 28, after falling out with Trump over his foreign policy, including surprise decisions to withdraw all troops from Syria and start planning a drawdown in Afghanistan.

 

Trump has come under withering criticism from fellow Republicans, Democrats and international allies over his decisions about Syria and Afghanistan, against the advice of his top aides and U.S. commanders.

 

The exit of Mattis, highly regarded by Republicans and Democrats alike, added to concerns over what many see as Trump's unpredictable, go-it-alone approach to global security. Trump said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan would take over on an acting basis from Jan. 1.

 

In announcing his resignation, Mattis distributed a candid resignation letter addressed to Trump that laid bare the growing divide between them, and implicitly criticized Trump for failing to value America's closest allies, who fought alongside the United States in both conflicts. Mattis said that Trump deserved to have a defence secretary more aligned with his views.

 

Trump, who tweeted on Thursday that Mattis was "retiring, with distinction, at the end of February," made his displeasure clear on Saturday by tweeting that the retired Marine general had been "ingloriously fired" by former President Barack Obama and he had given Mattis a second chance.

 

Obama removed Mattis as head of U.S. Central Command in 2013 because of what officials at the time said were perceived to be his hawkish views on Iran.

 

Thursday's tweet was dictated to an aide to send before Trump read Mattis' resignation letter, a senior administration official told reporters on Sunday.

 

"That's not the kind of letter of resignation I think you should write," the official said, adding Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had told Mattis on Sunday he would be leaving on Jan. 1.

 

In a tweet on Sunday, Trump praised Shanahan, a former Boeing Co executive, as "very talented."

 

In his letter, Mattis had said he would step down at the end of February to allow for a successor to be confirmed and attend Congressional hearings and a key NATO meeting.

 

A senior White House official said that Trump was irked by the attention given to Mattis' resignation letter.

 

"He just wants a smooth, more quick transition and felt that dragging it out for a couple of months is not good," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

 

The official said Trump was expected to pick a nominee for defence secretary over the next couple of weeks.

 

Defense Department spokeswoman Dana White said Mattis would work with Shanahan and Pentagon leadership to ensure the department "remains focused on the defence of the nation during this transition."

 

Shanahan, in his job as deputy defence secretary, has largely focused on internal Pentagon reform and issues like the creation of a Space Force, a project championed by Trump but resisted by some lawmakers and some in the Pentagon.

 

A senior administration official told Reuters that Shanahan "has a deep-seated understanding of military operations, and global security affairs, and importantly, has the breadth of large-scale business management experience that will enable him to effectively oversee the Defense Department."

 

'SLOW' SYRIA PULLOUT

In a shock announcement on Wednesday, Trump said he was withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, citing its cost both in terms of lives of U.S. military and financially. A day later, U.S. officials said the United States was planning on pulling out about half of the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

 

Mattis, whose embrace of NATO and America's traditional alliances often put him at odds with Trump, had advised against the Syria withdrawal - one of the factors in his resignation.

 

On Sunday, Trump said in a tweet that he had spoken with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan about a "slow and highly coordinated" withdrawal, suggesting that he might slow down the process after the barrage of criticism.

 

A U.S military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the withdrawal would be "safe, professional and deliberate" but was not aware of any new guidance from the White House.

 

A plan on the pullout is expected to be presented by commanders to the Pentagon this week, the official said.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he deeply regretted Trump's Syria decision.

 

The plan has also prompted unusually sharp criticism of Trump from some of his fellow Republicans.

 

Senator Bob Corker, the influential Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was "saddened" by Trump's withdrawal decision.

 

"I think he knows he made a mistake," Corker, who is retiring, said on CNN. "The president's tendencies are to dig in and double-down if he knows he has done something that is probably incorrect."

 

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Steve Holland, additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Phil Stewart; Editing by Mary Milliken and Phil Berlowitz)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-24

[JAG]

So one of the biggest manufacturers of military equipment in the world now has a former executive as the Secretary of State for Defence!

 

"Drain that swamp"!

[YetAnother]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump, annoyed by resignation letter,

per the photo, Trump, arms folded, mouth open; typical

[ezzra]

The man is running the country as if it's a 7/11 store and behave like a spoiled brat, if you're not with me you're against me mentality, continue like this and he wouldn't last long as no one would want to work for him putting up with his temper and megalomaniac attitude...

[Carib]

Read somewhere he has a short circuit, due to a shower (possibly golden?), could that really be? ????  

 

Dragging himself through kindergarten and stamping his feet this whole charade make me think of.  Very sad. 

[neeray]

9 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The man is running the country as if it's a 7/11 store and behave like a spoiled brat, if you're not with me you're against me mentality, continue like this and he wouldn't last long as no one would want to work for him putting up with his temper and megalomaniac attitude...

7/11 stores run smoother than this Whitehouse.

[Tug]

Awwww look at Donald having another temper tantrum pathetic just pathetic 

[Briggsy]

Erdogan gets his request. Erdogan lays off Mohammed Bin Salman and doesn't release any more damning evidence. Mohammed Bin Salman funnels another $50 million to the Trump Organisation. The last part occurs probably after the end of the Trump presidency.

[helpisgood]

As JAG above astutely pointed out, the man replacing Mattis is a former Boeing executive, a big-time defense contractor. 

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/09/boeing-bagged-billions-in-pentagon-contracts-this-summer.html

 

That's interesting timing given that the Pentagon, which has been dodging a legally required audit for years, finally was audited and did miserably.  Maybe there are some questionable defense contracts or some contracts that never should have been entered into by the Pentagon? Here's a snippet from one article that tells how the Pentagon had problems explaining where $6.5 trillion (not a typo) went:

 

"In other words, there were no ledger entries or receipts to back up how that $6.5 trillion supposedly was spent. Indeed, more than 16,000 records that might reveal either the source or the destination of some of that $6.5 trillion had been “removed,” the inspector general’s office reported."

 

That quote is from the following source, which was quoting the Inspector General's Office, aka, "the department's internal watchdog":

 

https://www.thenation.com/article/pentagon-audit-budget-fraud/

 

Here's another article from another source on the same problem:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/01/opinion/sunday/pentagon-spending-audit-failed.html

 

Can you imagine explaining to your boss how you cannot account for a missing $6.5 trillion from the till?  Sounds like the new appointment is not about "draining the swamp."

[neeray]

25 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Erdogan gets his request. Erdogan lays off Mohammed Bin Salman and doesn't release any more damning evidence. Mohammed Bin Salman funnels another $50 million to the Trump Organisation. The last part occurs probably after the end of the Trump presidency.

Strictly your conjecture of course but I think you're in the ballpark.

[LomSak27]

Jose Canseco has already publicly thrown his hat in the ring, I would have to say he is a front runner. However if that doesn't work, I bet Scott Baio would be ready and willing to go.

 

You have lots of people Donnie.  

[Boon Mee]

Why was there no fuss about Mattis's removal under the previous administration? 

[Briggsy]

Just now, Boon Mee said:

Why was there no fuss about Mattis's removal under the previous administration? 

Obama was neither beholden to nor compromised by Putin and did not place personal financial interest over America's strategic interest. Also Obama worked closely with experienced DoD officials before taking decisions.

[Tug]

Thanks briggsy

[alanrchase]

3 hours ago, YetAnother said:

per the photo, Trump, arms folded, mouth open; typical

Arms folded, mouth open, brain in neutral.

[animalmagic]

Just now, alanrchase said:

Arms folded, mouth open, brain in neutral.

The more interesting part of the photo is the person to the right of HWSBO.  What is he signalling and to whom?

It appears to be a very clear message to someone.  Pretty sure he's not removing a piece of dust.

[Chippy151]

Like all spoilt little children, Trump has to have the final say. 

[joecoolfrog]

Man child has tantrum , its barely newsworthy any more , incredible that some people still support this embarassing situation.

[spidermike007]

Trump is no doubt the leader with the thinnest skin, of any in the past several decades. One has to wonder what is the root cause of his complete, total, and utter inability to handle criticism. Most well balanced people can deal with criticism. You can call me names, insult my talents, tell me I am ugly, question my decisions, and I will stand resolute, knowing who I am, and be bolstered by a strong sense of self esteem. Water off a ducks back. Somehow, that does not apply to Trump. He has incredibly low self esteem, and no self love. He masks that with his blowhard ego, and his bluster, but that all appears to be a cover, for his intense degree of self loathing. I get it. If I was him, and I had done to thousands of small contractors, what he has done, I would hate myself too. He feels the need to strike back, and never let an insult, or a criticism go unanswered. That is a classic sign of a psychopath, and a sociopath. 

 

This is a very dim man, who does not possess a rational thought process, and he is quite unstable mentally. I think the Mueller stuff, and the 17 separate investigations that are proceeding at this moment, some of which are netting indictments, and prison terms, have him very shaken up, and he is less stable than usual, which is a very scary thought. 

[ballpoint]

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye". 

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Why was there no fuss about Mattis's removal under the previous administration? 

???????????????? perhaps because...

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump, annoyed by resignation letter,...

[Burma Bill]

What is Shahanan doing - eyeing up the situation or keeping an eye open for Mattis?

[Briggsy]

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

What is Shahanan doing - eyeing up the situation or keeping an eye open for Mattis?

Ask a French person. It is a rude gesture (Mon oeil). Perhaps he is acting as a Beria to Trump's inner Stalin to somebody on the other side of the table (a journo??) who will soon find themselves transported.

[Basil B]

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

per the photo, Trump, arms folded, mouth open; typical

To be fair that was a file photo 9th may 2018.

[alation]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

The man is running the country as if it's a 7/11 store and behave like a spoiled brat, if you're not with me you're against me mentality, continue like this and he wouldn't last long as no one would want to work for him putting up with his temper and megalomaniac attitude...

I have become a supporter of President Trump because of his determination to improve the American economy and to help it's people of which he has accomplished a fair bit given the unprecedented amount of opposition from the Democrats and the on going investigation into his election campaign I can only assume that if such an investigation were to be held with the same intensity in Clinton and Obama they would have been found guilty within a couple of months. But we are all guilty of failing in something somewhere along the line. President Trump simply has not been given a fair go to lead his country in the way the American people voted for him to do. He try to build America not to pull it down. I leave you with the words whoever is without sin let them cast the first stone. Right or wrong give people a chance. Just one other thing who is it that always calls on America first to offer aid in any world disaster 

Answer 

The world does. 

Wishing you all a very very safe and happy Christmas with your best new year ever in 2019 take care all.

[bristolboy]

17 minutes ago, alation said:

I have become a supporter of President Trump because of his determination to improve the American economy and to help it's people of which he has accomplished a fair bit given the unprecedented amount of opposition from the Democrats and the on going investigation into his election campaign I can only assume that if such an investigation were to be held with the same intensity in Clinton and Obama they would have been found guilty within a couple of months. But we are all guilty of failing in something somewhere along the line. President Trump simply has not been given a fair go to lead his country in the way the American people voted for him to do. He try to build America not to pull it down. I leave you with the words whoever is without sin let them cast the first stone. Right or wrong give people a chance. Just one other thing who is it that always calls on America first to offer aid in any world disaster 

Answer 

The world does. 

Wishing you all a very very safe and happy Christmas with your best new year ever in 2019 take care all.

Trump is a Republican president who had a republican majority in the House and Senate. And yet his failures are the fault of the opposition?

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Why was there no fuss about Mattis's removal under the previous administration? 

Because the lives of US Syrian and Afghanistan allies weren't at stake?

Obama replaced Mattis (who was not fired nor resigned) due to Mattis' objection to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCOP) to denuclearize Iran. This was a POTUS policy matter and not a military strategic decision that was being made solely by Trump upon advice by FOX celebrities.

Gen. Mattis remained a General on Active Duty after Obama's removal.

[Pedrogaz]

I'm not a fan of Trump....but he is right on this issue. The US are in Syria illegally. They are not fighting ISIS and never did until the Russians turned up. What they are doing is illegally occupying a huge swath of land in Syria land that it is illegal to sell the oil from. The oil in Syria belongs to the Syrian people and its legitimate government, which for better or worse, is the Assad government. The US should respect the law and out now. Yankee go home. 

[joecoolfrog]

1 hour ago, alation said:

I have become a supporter of President Trump because of his determination to improve the American economy and to help it's people of which he has accomplished a fair bit given the unprecedented amount of opposition from the Democrats and the on going investigation into his election campaign I can only assume that if such an investigation were to be held with the same intensity in Clinton and Obama they would have been found guilty within a couple of months. But we are all guilty of failing in something somewhere along the line. President Trump simply has not been given a fair go to lead his country in the way the American people voted for him to do. He try to build America not to pull it down. I leave you with the words whoever is without sin let them cast the first stone. Right or wrong give people a chance. Just one other thing who is it that always calls on America first to offer aid in any world disaster 

Answer 

The world does. 

Wishing you all a very very safe and happy Christmas with your best new year ever in 2019 take care all.

Extraordinary !

[Rimmer]

Some baiting troll posts and replies have been removed