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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Trump: Jim Mattis 'sort of a Democrat' and could quit as defense secretary soon | Trump: Jim Mattis 'sort of a Democrat' and could quit as defense secretary soon |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Donald Trump suspects his defense secretary, General Jim Mattis, might be a Democrat and “could be” heading for the exit. | Donald Trump suspects his defense secretary, General Jim Mattis, might be a Democrat and “could be” heading for the exit. |
| Trump was responding to a specific question from journalist Lesley Stahl, for an interview for CBS News’ 60 Minutes, about whether Mattis was “going to leave”. | |
| “Well, I don’t know,” the president said. “He hasn’t told me that.” | “Well, I don’t know,” the president said. “He hasn’t told me that.” |
| “Do you want him to?” Stahl pressed. | “Do you want him to?” Stahl pressed. |
| “I have a very good relationship with him,” Trump said. “I had lunch with him two days ago. I have a very good relationship with him. | “I have a very good relationship with him,” Trump said. “I had lunch with him two days ago. I have a very good relationship with him. |
| “It could be that he is. I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth. 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.” | “It could be that he is. I think he’s sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth. 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.” |
| Mattis was a US Marines commander in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was elevated under George W Bush to command the United States Joint Forces Command. Under Barack Obama, he became commander of US Central Command. | Mattis was a US Marines commander in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was elevated under George W Bush to command the United States Joint Forces Command. Under Barack Obama, he became commander of US Central Command. |
| The defense department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | The defense department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| In its first two years, the Trump administration has witnessed an unprecedented flow of high-profile departures. This week, UN ambassador Nikki Haley announced she was stepping down. | In its first two years, the Trump administration has witnessed an unprecedented flow of high-profile departures. This week, UN ambassador Nikki Haley announced she was stepping down. |
| In a book published last month, journalist Bob Woodward depicted Mattis as directly ignoring an expressed desire by Trump to assassinate Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and comparing Trump’s understanding of tensions on the Korean peninsula to that of “a fifth- or sixth-grader”. | In a book published last month, journalist Bob Woodward depicted Mattis as directly ignoring an expressed desire by Trump to assassinate Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and comparing Trump’s understanding of tensions on the Korean peninsula to that of “a fifth- or sixth-grader”. |
| Mattis denied making such statements. | Mattis denied making such statements. |
| The defense secretary is scheduled to embark for Vietnam on Tuesday in a trip that originally included a Beijing agenda, since canceled. | The defense secretary is scheduled to embark for Vietnam on Tuesday in a trip that originally included a Beijing agenda, since canceled. |
| Trump administration | Trump administration |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| US national security | US national security |
| US military | US military |
| US politics | US politics |
| Jamal Khashoggi | Jamal Khashoggi |
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