Trump, seeking to downplay the news, stepped out in front of Mattis' resignation, spinning it as a retirement. A senior administration official could not say if armed forces were told before the tweet. "Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration." He should be proud of the service he has rendered to President Trump and our nation," Graham tweeted. Mattis denied those assertions and the accounts detailed by Woodward's sources, including claims that he ignored or slow-rolled Trump's ideas.

Source: CNN December 20, 2018 22:30 UTC