“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try,” Mattis wrote. “Instead he tries to divide us.”
A former Marine, he was the editor behind the Small Wars Journal, a online publication that was a must-read for anyone interested in counterinsurgency operations during the Iraq-and-Afghanistan era.
“The actions of these Marines from throughout our history embody the fighting spirit and determination of our Marine Corps. Each of them overpowered challenges with perseverance to win battles.”
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee plans to hold its markup of the annual defense bill ― usually a hearing with more than 100 people in attendance ― on schedule next month.
Of 60 Senate-confirmable positions at the Pentagon, more than one third are unfilled, and time is running out for the Trump administration on the Senate’s abbreviated, election-year calendar.