Trump Formally Announces Mattis’ Nomination To Lead Defense Dept.

President-elect Donald Trump introduces retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis as his appointed Secretary of Defense while speaking to supporters during a rally in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
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Donald Trump on Tuesday night formally announced that he will nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to serve as secretary of defense.

“He is one of the most effective generals and extraordinary leaders of our time, who has committed his life to his love for our country. General Mattis is the living embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, ‘Semper Fidelis,’ always faithful, and the American people are fortunate that a man of his character and integrity will now be the civilian leader atop the Department of Defense,” Trump said in a statement. “Under his leadership, we will rebuild our military and alliances, destroy terrorists and face our enemies head on, and make America safe again.”

Trump also introduced Mattis to the crowd in Fayetteville, North Carolina, during a rally for his victory tour. The President-elect said that his Defense Department will not be “racing to topple” foreign governments and instead work on “defeating terrorism and destroying ISIS,” according to CNN.

Mattis briefly thanked Trump for the nomination on stage, mentioning that Congress will need to pass a special waiver to let him serve as secretary of defense.

“Thank you President-elect for the confidence that you’ve shown in me,” Mattis said. “I look forward to being the civilian leader so long as the Congress gives me the waiver and the Senate votes to content.”

Republicans have included a measure in the short-term funding bill that would limit debate on the waiver needed to allow Mattis to lead the Defense Department even though he has not been out of the military for seven years, as the law requires.

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  1. The Dems need to stuff this guy in a plane and ship him back to the front. No business leading the DD at all. It’s a civilian post for a reason.

  2. Any marginal respect I had for Mattis is dissolving. Why appear at a stupid Trump Rally, post election? WTF is that? Even granted the rally was held on the outskirts of one of the largest Army bases in the country. This guy is supposed to be one of the few dignified credible people in the Cabinet of Clowns?

  3. Typical of Republicans–the law is the law, except when it’s inconvenient.

    It would be nice if Obama would threaten to veto the bill unless this provision is stripped out, but he would never think of it. Even the NYT knuckled under, and if you look in the letters column, criticism of their editorial was very muted. Which did not reflect the letters they got. I know, because I wrote one about this that was anything but muted.

  4. Avatar for rssrai rssrai says:

    Democrats need to fight this like it is no tomorrow. This sets back decades of precedent of having civilian leadership over the military. I would never vote for giving a waiver for an retired general to lead defense of this country. This man will have us in every war in the world. Military commanders don’t see the civilian side of things, but only what the military wants which means the defense industry on making bombs, planes, and ships which profits giant defense corporations and not the US voters. Also, usually the military personnel and the needs of their families get left in the dust.

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