Over the course of his presidency, Donald Trump had two Senate-confirmed Defense secretaries. The latter was Mark Esper, who, after departing the Pentagon, warned the American people that Trump is “unfit” for office, a national security threat and a “threat to democracy.”
All of this, of course, is unprecedented: No former defense secretary has ever made public comments such as these about a president he worked for.
But let’s also not overlook Esper’s predecessor. The Bulwark’s Tim Miller reported:
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis privately told Bob Woodward that he agrees with the assessment laid out in his book “War,” which paints Donald Trump as a unique and menacing threat to the country. In an interview on The Bulwark Podcast on Thursday, Woodward said he recently received an email from Mattis, who served under Trump before resigning in protest. In the email, Mattis seconded the assessment offered by Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whom Woodward quotes as calling Trump “the most dangerous person ever.”
In other words, Trump had two defense secretaries, and if Woodward’s reporting is correct, both see the Republican as a threat to the United States.
To be sure, these latest developments don’t come as too big of a surprise. When Trump first tapped the retired four-star Marine general to serve in his Cabinet, the Republican seemed impressed, not only by Mattis lengthy and decorated military career, but also by his nickname — “Mad Dog Mattis” — which Trump seemed to enjoy referencing frequently.
The relationship quickly soured. The more Mattis emphasized responsible decision-making and the importance of international alliances, the more Trump dismissed his Pentagon chief as “sort of a Democrat.”
In December 2018, not quite two years into his tenure, Mattis wrote a rather brutal resignation letter to Trump, calling into question the then-president’s judgment, values and respect for American allies. In the process, the retired general became the first modern Pentagon chief to resign in protest.
That was nearly six years ago. Now, Mattis has reportedly seen retired Gen. Mark Milley’s recent condemnations of Trump — the Republican’s handpicked former chairman of the Joint Chiefs described Trump as a “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country” — and the former defense secretary apparently thinks Milley’s assessment was correct.
As we’ve discussed, members of a presidential team have a unique perspective on an American presidency. After a president chooses them for their powerful positions, these Cabinet officials routinely work closely with the person behind the desk in the Oval Office, learning firsthand how a president thinks, works, prioritizes, processes information, and leads. I’ve long wondered what might persuade voters inclined to support Trump to change their minds. Who, if anyone, will they listen to? Clearly, these voters will not be persuaded by pundits. Or lawmakers. Or historians. Or prosecutors. Or committee reports. Or special counsel investigations. But perhaps they’ll consider listening to those who worked closely with Trump, and who keep warning Americans about the dangers he poses as he tries to regain power? This post updates our related earlier coverage.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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