Donald Trump has chosen retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis as his pick for secretary of defense, tasking the popular military leader with carrying out the president-elect’s planned overhaul of Pentagon operations and a shift in national security priorities.
The Washington Post, citing “people familiar” with the decision,” was first to report Thursday that Trump had reached a decision.
The 66-year-old Mattis, who retired in 2013 after reportedly falling from favor with the Obama administration over disagreements about Iran, last served as the head of U.S. Central Command. The post afforded him oversight of all military activity in the Middle East, to include the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He will require a waiver from Congress to hold the Pentagon’s top post because law mandates a seven-year wait between active-duty service and working as defense secretary, a rule is designed to reinforce the concept of civilian control of the military.
Neither Mattis nor Trump’s transition team immediately responded to Military Times’ requests seeking confirmation and comment. A spokesman for Trump indicated on Twitter that no decision had been reached concerning defense secretary. The Post reported that the announcement is likely to happen next week.
Video by Daniel Woolfolk/Staff
The general enjoys a cult-like following among past and present military members — particularly infantry Marines and soldiers — inspired by his swashbuckling rhetoric about the realities of war. He is known by an array of nicknames and military callsigns, including Mad Dog, Chaos and Warrior Monk. The last derives from his bachelor status, a rarity among those who attain four-star status.