‘It is right for me to step down’: Mattis quits 34 SHARES Share it! Share TweetBy Agence France-PresseDefense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a troop withdrawal from Syria. Trump and Mattis have previously clashed on any number of other issues — including the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in May while Mattis defended parts of it. He said Mattis had questioned Trump’s judgment, likening his understanding to that of a 10- or 11-year-old child. Mattis, a buttoned-up former Marine Corps general, was loath to discuss politics or his relationship with Trump, and the president was widely reported to bristle at unfavorable comparisons to Mattis, who had broad bipartisan support.

Source: Manila Bulletin December 21, 2018 00:11 UTC