Defenders of President Trump have long argued that his worst impulses can and will be tempered by the good men and women in his administration.…
Defenders of President Trump have long argued that his worst impulses can and will be tempered by the good men and women in his administration. And when they listed the good men and women, the name at the top was always James Mattis. The legendary warrior. The honorable Marine.
But what does an honorable Marine do when he has an irreconcilable conflict with his commander?
No, he doesn’t pen anonymous essays for The New York Times. He can’t disobey lawful commands. But he also can’t in good conscience execute plans and policies that he believes are destructive and wrong.
So the honorable man resigns and states the reasons for his resignation.
That’s what Mattis did Thursday, and America should heed his words. His resignation letter is nothing short of a rebuke of the president’s habits, philosophy and decisions.
I want to highlight two excerpts in particular. Both of them send a clear message to the president.
Here’s the first:
“One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships.
