Trump Names Patrick Shanahan Acting Defense Secretary, Pushing Mattis Out Months Before Planned Departure
- 5 years ago
In a surprising move, President Trump named a new acting Defense Secretary on Sunday.
In a surprising move, President Trump on Saturday named a new acting Defense Secretary, two months before Jim Mattis' planned departure.
The president tweeted: "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!"
According to the New York Times, the move was prompted by Trump's anger over days of negative media coverage which largely viewed Mattis' resignation letter "as a rebuke of the president."
In the letter, Mattis writes: "While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies."
"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," he goes on to say.
In a surprising move, President Trump on Saturday named a new acting Defense Secretary, two months before Jim Mattis' planned departure.
The president tweeted: "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!"
According to the New York Times, the move was prompted by Trump's anger over days of negative media coverage which largely viewed Mattis' resignation letter "as a rebuke of the president."
In the letter, Mattis writes: "While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies."
"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," he goes on to say.