Donald Trump hits back at Jim Mattis AGAIN by tweeting rambling letter from his former lawyer accusing Marine general of siding with 'terrorists' in Lafayette Park and praising president's 'balls' against 'bedwetters'
Donald Trump has hit out at his former defense secretary James Mattis again - one day after the military veteran published a scalding letter denouncing the president's leadership in the face of widespread protests across the country.
In a piece published on Wednesday, Mattis spoke out for the first time publicly since he was fired by Trump in 2018, blasting the commander-in-chief for making a 'mockery of the Constitution' and further dividing the nation during a time of crisis.
On Wednesday evening, Trump blasted back, calling Mattis 'the world's most overrated General'. But the Commander-in-chief was content criticizing the former defense secretary just once.
On Thursday, he lashed out for a second time by tweeting out a copy of a scathing letter his former lawyer, John Dowd, had written to Mattis.
'I thought this letter from respected retired Marine and Super Star lawyer, John Dowd, would be of interest to the American People. Read it!' Trump wrote about the letter.
In the letter Dowd savages Mattis, and writes: 'President Trump has done more to help our minority brothers and sisters in the last three years than anyone in the last fifty.
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis broke his silence on Trump's leadership Wednesday, revealing he is 'angry and appalled' at his handling of the George Floyd protests. His comments have provoked multiple angry responses from the President
I thought this letter from respected retired Marine and Super Star lawyer, John Dowd, would be of interest to the American People. Read it!
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John Dowd, who was a former legal advisor to President Trump, wrote a critical letter of Mattis on Thursday
Trump initially hit out at Mattis on Wednesday night, tweeting: 'Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world’s most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it,' Trump tweeted Wednesday evening.
'His nickname was "Chaos", which I didn’t like, & changed to "Mad Dog," Trump added.
While Trump claimed that he fired Mattis, the general had submitted his resignation after he disagreed with Trump’s decision to pull US forces out of Syria.
His military call sign was 'Chaos' which stands for 'Colonel Has Another Outstanding Suggestion'. He was given his nickname 'Mad Dog', which Mattis reportedly does not like, years before Trump came into office.
'His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom "brought home the bacon". I didn’t like his "leadership" style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!' Trump added.
Mattis' op-ed in The Atlantic was his first time publicly castigating the president, condemning the flexing of military might against George Floyd protests, which he calls a legitimate response to demands for equal justice.
'Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people - does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,' Mattis said.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the president and criticized Mattis as ineffectual.
'Former Secretary Mattis' "article" is little more than a self-promotional stunt to appease the DC elite. President Donald Trump is the law and order President that has restored peace to our nation’s streets. Mattis’ small words pale in comparison to POTUS' strong action.'
In his statement Mattis, a four-star Marine general, compared Trump's tactics of seeking to 'divide' the nation to that of the Nazis.
'Instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion reminded soldiers that 'The Nazi slogan for destroying us … was 'Divide and Conquer,' he writes. 'Our American answer is 'In Union there is Strength.' We must summon that unity to surmount this crisis - confident that we are better than our politics.'
In his op-ed, Mattis pointedly takes on Trump's photo-op Monday, where the president brandished a bible in front of St. John's Church after protesters were cleared from the area. He writes that he is 'angry and appalled' by unfolding events
His statement about Trump seeking to divide the nation immediately follows.
'We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society,' he continues.
He pointedly takes on Trump's photo-op Monday, where the president brandished a bible in front of St. John's Church after protesters were cleared from the area. He writes that he is 'angry and appalled' by unfolding events.
'We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. At the same time, we must remember Lincoln’s “better angels,” and listen to them, as we work to unite,' Mattis wrote.
He called for unity and calm. 'This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.'
His blistering article comes as other former military officials, including former head of the joint chiefs of staff Admiral Mike Mullen, blasted Trump for seeking to 'politicize' the military.
Mattis also wholeheartedly backs those marching for changes to U.S. policing after the death of George Floyd, who is black, at the hands of a white police officer – even singling out a 'small number of lawbreakers' who have undertaken property damage, which left a swath of buildings in downtown D.C. with shattered windows.
'It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation,' writes Mattis.
He also blasts a comment by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, whose job is already in jeopardy, for his comment calling for governors to 'dominate the battlespace' in U.S. cities.
'We must reject any thinking of our cities as a 'battlespace' that our uniformed military is called upon to 'dominate.' At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society,' he writes.
'It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part.'
He also blasted the 'bizarre photo-up' that Trump ordered up, as federal police backed up by National Guard cleared away peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park.
Federal police backed up by National Guard cleared away peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park to make way for President Trump on Sunday
'When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution,' writes Mattis. 'Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.'
Mattis indicated when he resigned his post that he felt an obligation to keep comments to himself. 'There is a period in which I owe my silence. It's not eternal. It's not going to be forever,' he said at the time.
While he was in office, Mattis stood out among other cabinet officials for failing to shower the president with over-the-top praise at public events.
Behind the scenes, there were clashes, as his former spokesman Guy Snodgrass recounted in his tell-all.
Mattis even told aides he would rather 'swallow acid' than allow Trump to throw a $50 million 'Victory Parade' in the nation's capital.
Trump tapped Mattis along with other high-profile military officers to staff his administration. He was nicknamed the 'Warrior Monk' and and quoted Homer and Sun Tzu.
Tear gas floats in the air as a line of police move demonstrators away from St. John's Church for Trump's visit
Donald Trump hits back at Jim Mattis AGAIN by tweeting rambling letter from his former lawyer accusing Marine general of siding with 'terrorists' in Lafayette Park and praising president's 'balls' against 'bedwetters'
![Donald Trump hits back at Jim Mattis AGAIN by tweeting rambling letter from his former lawyer accusing Marine general of siding with 'terrorists' in Lafayette Park and praising president's 'balls' against 'bedwetters']()
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June 05, 2020
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