When discussing Trump’s willingness to disrupt the post–World War II alliance of Western nations, Stahl asked, “Is it true General Mattis said to you, ‘The reason for NATO and the reason for all these alliances is to prevent World War III?’” “No, it’s not true,” Trump said emphatically. “What’s not true?” Stahl interjected. “Frankly, I like General Mattis,” Trump said, looking indignant. “I think I know more about it than he does. And I know more about it from the standpoint of fairness, that I can tell you.” When reporters asked the Pentagon about the president’s remarks, a spokesman, Army Col. Rob Manning, said in a brief statement that “Secretary Mattis is laser-focused on doing his job—ensuring the U.S. military remains the most lethal force on the planet.” Mattis joined Trump’s Cabinet after four decades in the Marines and brought a reputation as a “warrior monk” who aggressively led Marine forces fighting their way to Baghdad at the start of the 2003 Iraq War, read history, and cared about the rank and file. Though he needed a congressional waiver to serve in a civilian position so soon after leaving the military, he won a nearly unanimous confirmation with 98 senators’ support. For far longer than many other top aides who started on Inauguration Day—think of Priebus, Tillerson, McMaster, Spicer, et al.—Mattis has seemed to stay on the mercurial president’s good side even as he pushed back on policy. That held true even when Trump critics portrayed Mattis as one of the adults in the room restraining the president’s worse impulses. Senator Bob Corker, the outgoing Tennessee Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, memorably said that Mattis was one of “those people that help separate our country from chaos.” Trump’s respect for his defense secretary seemed to persist even as Mattis slow-pedaled administration policies from a ban on transgender troops to a “Space Force” to the now-canceled military parade in Washington. Then came Bob Woodward’s book. The veteran Washington Post journalist wrote that the defense secretary grew agitated while explaining to Trump why the United States kept tens of thousands of troops in South Korea. Mattis reportedly put the rationale in simple terms—“prevent World War III”—and later complained that the president had the comprehension of a “fifth- or sixth-grader.” (This may have been the “World War III” comment that Stahl referenced but applied to the NATO alliance.) And, Woodward wrote, Trump called Mattis in the spring of 2017 after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on civilians and said the U.S. should assassinate Assad. “Let’s fucking kill him! Let’s go in. Let’s kill the fucking lot of them,” Trump said, according to Woodward. Woodward wrote that Mattis told Trump he’d get on it, but hung up the phone and said to an aide: “We’re not going to do any of that. We’re going to be much more measured.” The president has now reportedly started to call him “Moderate Dog” rather than “Mad Dog,” the nickname that Trump initially loved but Mattis always hated. (A rare profile ahead of his 2013 retirement was titled, “Just don’t call him Mad Dog.”) Whether the incidents described in Woodward’s book were fact or fiction, the president’s comments suggest Mattis may be writing his final chapters as defense secretary.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — President Trump, who once called Defense Secretary Jim Mattis “one of the most effective generals that we’ve had in many, many decades,” has now affixed a more ominous label to the retired four-star Marine general: “Democrat.” In a “60 Minutes” interview broadcast on CBS on Sunday night, Mr. Trump grouped his own defense secretary in with the political party that the president now describes at every turn as “an angry, left-wing mob” bent on destroying the country. “I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth,” Mr. Trump said. But the president added that he did not know whether Mr. Mattis would be the next major departure from his administration, following the abrupt resignation announcement last week by Nikki R. Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, and the expected exit this fall of Donald F. McGahn II, the White House counsel. “He may leave,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. Mattis, though he called him “a good guy” and insisted that the two men still had “a very good relationship.”<doc-sep>WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump described his defense secretary as "sort of a Democrat" and said he may leave the administration after the midterm elections in an interview airing on "60 Minutes" Sunday. "He may leave," Trump said of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, according to an interview excerpt released by CBS News. "I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody. People leave. That's Washington." The New York Times reported last month that Trump may have soured on Mattis. In addition to thinking that Mattis is a Democrat at heart, The Times said, Trump doesn't like being unfavorably compared to Mattis. For his part, the defense secretary has said Trump acts as if he has the understanding of a fifth- or sixth-grader, according to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward's recently published book "Fear." Asked if he wants Mattis gone, Trump told 60 Minutes that he has a "very good relationship" with the defense secretary, whom he called a "good guy." But, Trump said, "it could be" that Mattis is leaving. "I think he's sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth," Trump said. After his first year in office, Trump's administration already had the highest rate of turnover among White House staff in decades, according to the Brookings Institution. The latest high-profile figure to announce her departure was Nikki Haley, Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, who is stepping down at the end of the year.<doc-sep>(CNN) — US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Monday he has “never talked” with President Donald Trump about leaving the administration despite the President’s calling him “sort of a Democrat” who “may leave” his position. “I’m on his team. We have never talked about me leaving,” Mattis told reporters during a flight to Vietnam to meet with senior Vietnamese officials, according to a Department of Defense transcript. Mattis was responding to Trump’s comments during an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday. “And as you can see right here, we’re on our way. We just continue doing our job.” Mattis also dismissed the President’s remark suggesting he had affiliation with the Democratic Party. “I’ve never registered for any political party,” he said. In his wide-ranging interview with “60 Minutes,” Trump sparked speculation that Mattis’ days may be numbered after saying he was unsure about the defense secretary’s future in the administration. “He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody. People leave,” the President said. “That’s Washington.” Trump added that he and Mattis “get along very well.” Army Col. Robert Manning, a spokesman for the Pentagon, issued a statement in response to the President’s remarks Sunday. “Secretary Mattis is laser-focused on doing his job – ensuring the US military remains the most lethal force on the planet,” the statement said. Trump tapped Mattis to be defense secretary following his victory in the 2016 presidential election. Mattis officially secured the position after Congress passed a waiver allowing him to take the civilian post shortly after he retired from the military. Mattis was at odds with the Obama administration over its policy toward Iran in his final years as head of Central Command, with the Marine general taking a harder line about pursuing action against Iran than the White House. CNN reported in June on differences between Trump and Mattis that were leading to friction in the Pentagon and raising the possibility that the defense secretary might eventually leave the administration. CNN’s Eli Watkins and Barbara Starr contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
Defense Secretary James Mattis discussed his political affiliation during a flight to Vietnam Monday after President Donald Trump called Mattis “sort of a Democrat” during a “60 Minutes” interview that aired Sunday. “I’ve never registered for any political party,” Mattis told reporters Monday. Mattis talked about how his years in the U.S. Marine Corps shaped him Monday. “When I was 18, I joined the Marine Corps, and in the U.S. military we are proudly apolitical,” he said according to CNN journalist Jake Tapper. “By that, I mean that in our duties, we were brought up to obey the elected commander in chief, whoever that is. … Since I was in the military longer than some of you have been alive, I have seen Republicans and Democrats come and go.” Mattis also addressed rumors about his departure that were sparked during Trump’s “60 Minutes” segment. “I’m on his team. We have never talked about me leaving,” Mattis said, according to Fox News journalist Lucas Tomlinson. Lesley Stahl of “60 Minutes” asked Trump if Mattis was one of the members of his cabinet the president was unhappy with and if the defense secretary was planning to depart in an interview that aired Sunday. (RELATED: Trump Calls Mattis ‘Sort Of A Democrat,’ Says He Doesn’t Know When He’ll Leave Cabinet) “I have a very good relationship with [Mattis]. … I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said. “But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves. Everybody. People leave. That’s Washington.” Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham. Send tips to evie@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.