WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to be his defense secretary, making the announcement during a post-election victory rally in Cincinnati.
The 66-year-old is a Marine Corps general who retired in 2013 after serving as the commander of the U.S. Central Command.
His selection raises questions about increased military influence in a job designed to insure civilian control of the armed forces. The concerns revolve around whether a recently retired service member would rely more on military solutions to international problems, rather than take a broader, more diplomatic approach.
In order for Mattis to be confirmed, Congress will first be required to approve legislation bypassing a law that bars retired military officers from becoming defense secretary within seven years of leaving active duty.
Mattis has a reputation as a battle-hardened, tough-talking Marine who was entrusted with some of the most challenging commands in the U.S. military. In a tweet last month, Trump referred to Mattis by his nickname “Mad Dog” and described him as “A true General’s General!”
He would be just the second retired general to serve as defense secretary, the first being George C. Marshall in 1950-51 during the Korean War. The only previous exception to the law requiring a gap after military service was for Marshall.
However, Marshall is widely observed as a much different man than Mattis — Marshall previously served as U.S. secretary of state and played a key role in creating closer ties with Western Europe after World War II.
Mattis has also been the subject of scrutiny — he was criticized for remarking in 2005 that he enjoyed shooting people. Recently, Mattis stirred controversy again for his involvement with the embattled biotech company Theranos, where he serves on the board.
As head of the Central Command from 2010 until his retirement in 2013, he was in charge of both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2005, he raised eyebrows when he told a San Diego forum that it was “fun to shoot some people.”
According to a recording of his remarks, Mattis said, “Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. You know, it’s a hell of a hoot. … It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right up front with you, I like brawling.”
He added, “You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil,” Mattis continued. “You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them.”
As a top Marine general, Mattis pushed for the military to adopt blood-testing technology developed by Theranos.
