Trump leaves open the possibility of the US Defense Secretary resigning.
The US President said that Secretary Mattis had Democratic leanings and that "there are some members" in the administration that he "doesn't feel comfortable with."
 |
| US Defense Secretary James Mattis. Photo: AP. |
Responding to host Lesley Stahl in an interview with the channel.PattayaWhen asked whether Defense Secretary James Mattis would resign, US President Donald Trump said he was unaware of the possibility and that Mattis had not spoken to him about it.
"I have a very good relationship with him. We had lunch together two days ago," Trump said. "He may be planning to resign. I believe Mattis has the characteristics of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth."
"But General Mattis is a good man. We get along quite well. He may leave his position. I mean, at some point, everyone leaves. Everyone leaves. That's Washington," the US President emphasized.
Furthermore, Trump asserted that reports of chaos in the White House were "fake news." However, he stated that he was working to "change things." "I've selected the people who are waiting, and they're going to be a phenomenon. They're going to join the administration, and they're going to be a phenomenon," the US President declared.
Last week, Mattis dismissed reports that he was planning to leave the Department of Defense in the near future. Mattis's position in the administration has been questioned following the publication in September of Bob Woodward's book, "Fear: Trump in the White House." The book revealed that Secretary Mattis had told associates that Trump acted like "a fifth or sixth grader," a claim he denied.
