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Al-Ahed Telegram

Trump Pushes Out Mattis Early

Trump Pushes Out Mattis Early
folder_openUnited States access_time5 years ago
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Local Editor

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing War 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 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 came 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 US commanders.

Mattis’ exit, 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 War 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 war 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.

Source: Reuters, Edited by website team

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