General James Mattis To Retire As Defense Secretary In February

President Donald Trump announced that Defense Secretary General James Mattis will retire at the end of February. Trump praised Mattis for helping "me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations." He said that he expects to name a new Secretary of Defense soon. 

General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years. During Jim’s tenure, tremendous progress has been made, especially with respect to the purchase of new fighting....

....equipment. General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!

In his resignation letter, Mattis appeared to take shots at some of the foreign policy decisions made by Trump. 

"I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It Is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritative model," Mattis wrote.

Mattis explained that the president has "the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects."

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