Small Wars Journal

With a Drama-Filled White House, Mattis Has Shown Deft Political Touch

Thu, 08/31/2017 - 12:34pm

With a Drama-Filled White House, Mattis Has Shown Deft Political Touch by Greg Jaffe and Dan Lamothe - Washington Post

Away from the cameras and apart from the nonstop drama of the White House, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has come to play a role unlike any other Cabinet member.

The retired Marine general has become a force for calm, order and, in the eyes of the president’s critics, quiet resistance to some of President Trump’s most combative and divisive instincts.

In perhaps his greatest political feat, Mattis has maintained this air of independence without directly provoking a president who demands absolute loyalty.

The latest example came Wednesday morning when Trump vented his frustrations with North Korea after its latest missile launch…

On Tuesday night, Mattis seemed again to be in mitigation mode when he announced that he would be pulling together a “panel of experts” to provide advice on how to implement Trump’s ordered ban on transgender troops…

Read on.