US defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday after clashing with President Donald Trump over the abrupt withdrawal of US troops from Syria and after two years of deep disagreements over America's role in the world.
Mattis, perhaps the most respected foreign policy official in Trump's administration, will leave by the end of February after two tumultuous years struggling to soften and moderate the President's hardline and sometimes sharply changing policies. He told Trump in a letter that he was leaving because 'you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours'.
Mattis went to the White House with his resignation letter in hand to meet with the President and spoke to Trump for about 45 minutes, according to a senior US official familiar with the incident but speaking on conditions of anonymity to discuss a private meeting.
There was no confrontation between the two men, the official said, and there was no one issue that caused the resignation. However, the official said, Syria likely was the last straw for Mattis.
His departure was immediately lamented by foreign policy hands and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who viewed the retired Marine general as a sober voice of experience in the ear of a President who had never held political office or served in the military. Even Trump allies expressed fear over Mattis's decision to quit, believing him to be an important moderating force on the President.
'Just read Gen. Mattis resignation letter,' tweeted Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. 'It makes it abundantly clear that we are headed toward a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation, damage our alliances & empower our adversaries.'
Mattis did not mention the dispute over Syria in his letter or proposed deep cuts to US forces in Afghanistan, another significant policy dispute. He noted his 'core belief' that American strength is 'inextricably linked' with the nation's alliances with other countries, a position seemingly at odds with the 'America First' policy of the President.
The defence secretary also said China and Russia want to spread their 'authoritarian model' and promote their interests at the expense of America and its allies. 'That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense,' he wrote.
A part of Jim Mattis's resignation letter to Donald Trump. AP
The announcement came a day after Trump surprised US allies and members of Congress by announcing the withdrawal of all US troops from Syria, and as he continues to consider cutting in half the American deployment in Afghanistan by this summer. The news coincided with domestic turmoil as well, Trump's fight with Congress over a border wall and a looming partial government shutdown.
Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria has been sharply criticized for abandoning America's Kurdish allies, who may well face a Turkish assault once US troops leave, and had been staunchly opposed by the Pentagon.
Mattis, in his resignation letter, emphasised the importance of standing up for US allies — an implicit criticism of the president's decision on this issue and others.
'While the US 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.
Last year, Republican Sen. Bob Corker — a frequent Trump critic — said Mattis, along with White House chief of staff John Kelly and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, were helping 'separate our country from chaos'.
Tillerson was fired early this year. Kelly is to leave the White House in the coming days.
'This is scary,' reacted Senate Intelligence committee vice-chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., on Twitter. 'Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration.'
'Jim Mattis did a superb job as Secretary of Defense. But he cannot be expected to stand behind a President who disrespects our allies and ingratiates himself to our adversaries,' said William Cohen, who served as defence secretary under Bill Clinton and knows Mattis well.