James Mattis in Trump campaign vs. Trump administration
On Civil Rights:
Opposed women serving in infantry; but will allow it
Asked by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) if he intends to roll back the opening of infantry positions to women in the military. Mattis responded, "I've never come into any job with an agenda, a pre-formed agenda of changing anything.
I come in assuming the people before me deserve respect for the job they did and the decisions they've made." Pressed further on the issue and asked about past statements he has made in opposition to women serving in infantry positions,
Mattis said, "I have no plan to oppose women in any aspect of our military. In 2003, I had hundreds of Marines who happened to be women serving in my
23,000-person Marine division. I put them right on the front lines alongside everyone else."
Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings
Jan 13, 2017
On Civil Rights:
Not about who soldiers go to bed with, but how they'll fight
Asked by Sen. Gillibrand if allowing LGBTQ individuals to serve in the military undermines U.S. military performance, Mattis responded, "Frankly, Senator,
I've never cared much about two consenting adults and who they go to bed with. My concern is on the readiness of the force to fight and to make certain that it is at the top of its game."
Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings
Jan 13, 2017
On Foreign Policy:
Supports NATO alliance principle of collective defense
Mattis diverged sharply from his prospective boss on Russia, calling Moscow one of the top threats to the American-led world order. "I'm all for engagement," Mattis said, "but we also have to recognize reality in terms of what Russia is up to."
Mattis also put daylight between himself and Trump on NATO and indicated strong support for the alliance's principle of collective defense. "My view is that nations with allies thrive, and nations without allies don't," Mattis said.
Source: N.Y. Times on 2017 Trump transition Confirmation Hearings
Jan 12, 2017
On Foreign Policy:
Putin is trying to break the North Atlantic alliance
Asked by committee chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on how he thinks the U.S. should respond to Russian military activity and foreign policy, Mattis said, "Since Yalta, we have a long list of times that we've tried to engage positively with Russia.
We have a relatively short list of successes in that regard. And right now, I think the most important thing is that we recognize the reality of what we are dealing with
Mr. Putin and that we recognize that he is trying to break the North Atlantic alliance, and we take the steps, the integrated steps, the diplomatic, economic, military and the
Alliance steps in working with our allies to defend ourselves where we must."
Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings
Jan 13, 2017
On Homeland Security:
Don't revisit old issues; let women in combat roles
Highlights from Mattis' confirmation hearings:
Mattis said that he had no intention of revisiting the Obama administration's decisions on social issues at the Defense Department, like the opening of combat roles to women.
Source: N.Y. Times on 2017 Trump transition Confirmation Hearings
Jan 12, 2017
On Homeland Security:
Bring business reforms to the Department of Defense
Mattis commented on military spending in his opening remarks, saying that one of his top priorities as secretary of defense will be "to bring business reforms to the Department of Defense by instilling budget discipline and holding our leaders
accountable." He added, "I will be committed to earning the trust and confidence of the Congress--and the American people--that the Department is the best possible steward of taxpayer money."
Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings
Jan 13, 2017
On Principles & Values:
Dislikes nickname Mad Dog Mattis
Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, was approved as Mr. Trump's choice for defense secretary by the Senate Armed Services Committee, 24 to 3.
Fun fact: He doesn't care for the nickname "Mad Dog." Here are highlights from the hearings:<
Source: N.Y. Times on 2017 Trump transition Confirmation Hearings
Jan 12, 2017
On War & Peace:
Pentagon was aware that 2003 Iraq invasion was a mistake
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense called the 2003 invasion of Iraq a "mistake," according to a recording obtained by The Intercept. "Ladies and gentlemen," Mattis said, "we will probably look back on the invasion of Iraq
as a mistake--as a strategic mistake."Mattis was one of the Iraq campaign's most important ground commanders. He led the 1st Marine Division during the invasion and later oversaw the bloody retaking of Fallujah from insurgents in 2004.
As for the
Pentagon's view on the Iraq invasion at the time, Mattis said this: "I think people were pretty much aware that the U.S. military didn't think it was a very wise idea. But we give a cheery 'Aye aye, sir.' Because when you elect someone commander in
chief--we give our advice. We generally give it in private." Mattis's comments came during a question-and-answer session after a keynote delivered last year at ASIS International, a conference for global security professionals.
Source: The Intercept coverage of 2016 Trump transition
Dec 5, 2016
On War & Peace:
Supports the Iran nuclear agreement
Highlights from Mattis' confirmation hearings:
Mattis said he supported the Iran nuclear agreement, which Trump has repeatedly criticized.
Source: N.Y. Times on 2017 Trump transition Confirmation Hearings
Jan 12, 2017
On War & Peace:
Iran is single most enduring threat to stability and peace
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) asked Mattis about his views on the Iran nuclear deal. Mattis, in April 2016, called Iran "the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East." In response to Reed's question, he said, "I think it is
an imperfect arms control agreement--it's not a friendship treaty. But when America gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our allies." In March 2016, Trump said, "My number one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran."
Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings
Jan 13, 2017
On War & Peace:
North Korea must be stopped, but by diplomatic means
Mattis was reminded by a reporter that as commander of US forces in the Mideast several years ago, he considered Iran to be the biggest threat to U.S. interests. Asked how he would deal with Iran as secretary of defense, Mattis called Tehran a problem
but quickly pivoted to condemning North Korea and described the isolated, communist country as the more immediate threat."This is a threat of both rhetoric and growing capability," Mattis said, alluding to the North's recent progress in building
nuclear bombs and developing an intercontinental ballistic missile to deliver such weapons to U.S. soil. The Trump administration has been conducting a broad policy review of North Korea that includes military options, but Mattis stressed other
approaches. "We are working diplomatically, including with those that we might be able to enlist in this effort to get North Korea under control," he said. "But right now it appears to be going in a very reckless manner. That's got to be stopped."
Source: Associated Press on 2017 Trump Administration
Mar 31, 2017
On War & Peace:
Keep U.S. troops in Syria indefinitely to defeat ISIS
[In light of two UN and DOD reports about the resurgence of ISIS], the Trump Administration has reversed course; it is now keeping US troops in Syria indefinitely.The US has three missions to complete before it can withdraw. "One, we have to destroy
ISIS. The President's been very clear that ISIS is to be taken out," Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on August 28th. "We also have to have trained local troops who can take over."
The Trump Administration also does not want to withdraw
U.S. troops, Mattis said, until a peace process is under way to end the war in Syria and map the country's political future. "We need the Geneva process--the UN-recognized process--to start making traction towards solving this war," Mattis said. "Now,
if the locals are able to keep the security, obviously during this time we might be reducing our troops commensurate with their ability to deny ISIS a return, but it really comes down to finding a way to solve this problem of Assad's making."
Source: The New Yorker on 2018 Trump Administration
Aug 30, 2018
On War & Peace:
Shift from war of attrition against ISIS to annihilation
The US was already at war with ISIS prior to Trump's election. Progress was undeniably slow and, days after being inaugurated, President Trump signed an Executive Order requesting a Pentagon-led review be provided on how ISIS could be defeated.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis outlined that President Trump "delegated authority to the right level to aggressively and in a timely manner move against enemy vulnerabilities." This meant that when those on the ground requested airstrikes,
fewer layers of sign-off were required; the approval process was decentralized and, subsequently, faster.
Mattis has also said that another change was a "shift from shoving ISIS out of safe locations in an attrition fight to surrounding the
enemy in their strongholds so we can annihilate ISIS." The purpose behind this, Mattis outlined, was to dry up the flow of foreign fighters leaving the region.
Source: Heritage Commentary on 2018 Trump Administration
Jan 29, 2018
Page last updated: Nov 02, 2024