WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is stepping down from his post, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, after the retired Marine general clashed with the president over a troop drawdown in Syria and Trump’s go-it-alone stance in world affairs. ADVERTISEMENTIn his resignation letter, Mattis alluded to disagreements with Trump as the reason for his departure. Trump said on Twitter that a new secretary will be named soon. Mattis, in his resignation letter, emphasized the importance of standing up for U.S. allies in an implicit criticism of the president’s decision. “While the U.S. remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies,” Mattis wrote.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 20, 2018 22:41 UTC