Ex-Defense Secretary Mattis says he owes Trump silence, but won't keep quiet 'forever'
Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said in an interview he feels duty-bound to keep quiet his opinions about President Donald Trump’s leadership but that his obligation to refrain from criticism of the commander in chief is “not eternal.”
But Mattis also indicated he might soon more vocally challenge the president and speak out about his time leading the Defense Department. “There is a period in which I owe my silence. It’s not eternal. It’s not going to be forever,” he said. Responding to the post, Mattis remarked: “Any Marine general or any other senior servant of the people of the United States would find that, to use a mild euphemism, counterproductive and beneath the dignity of the presidency.”
“My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,” Mattis wrote at the time.
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