Global InformationJim Mattis information
Jim Mattis | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| 26th United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 20, 2017 – January 1, 2019 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Robert O. Work Patrick M. Shanahan |
| Preceded by | Ash Carter |
| Succeeded by | Mark Esper |
| 11th Commander of the United States Central Command | |
| In office August 11, 2010 – March 22, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Petraeus |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd Austin |
| 5th Commander of the United States Joint Forces Command | |
| In office November 9, 2007 – August 11, 2010 | |
| President |
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| Preceded by | Lance L. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Raymond T. Odierno |
| 3rd Supreme Allied Commander Transformation | |
| In office November 9, 2007 – September 8, 2008 | |
| Deputy | Luciano Zappata |
| Preceded by | Lance L. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Stéphane Abrial |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Norman Mattis September 8, 1950 Pullman, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Independent[1] |
| Spouse |
Christina Lomasney (m. 2022) |
| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Nicknames |
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| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1969–2013 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars |
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James Norman Mattis (born September 8, 1950) is an American military veteran who served as the 26th United States secretary of defense from 2017 to 2019. A retired Marine Corps four-star general, he commanded forces in the Persian Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.
Mattis was commissioned in the Marine Corps through the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps after graduating from Central Washington University. A career Marine, he gained a reputation among his peers for intellectualism and eventually advanced to the rank of general. From 2007 to 2010, he commanded the United States Joint Forces Command and concurrently served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. He was commander of United States Central Command from 2010 to 2013, with Admiral Bob Harward serving as his deputy commander. After retiring from the military, he served in several private sector roles, including as a board member of Theranos.[6]
Mattis was nominated as secretary of defense by president-elect Donald Trump, and confirmed by the Senate on January 20, 2017. As secretary of defense, Mattis affirmed the United States' commitment to defending longtime ally South Korea in the wake of the 2017 North Korea crisis.[7][8] An opponent of proposed collaboration with China and Russia,[9] Mattis stressed what he saw as their "threat to the American-led world order".[10] Mattis occasionally voiced his disagreement with certain Trump administration policies such as the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal,[11] withdrawals of troops from Syria and Afghanistan,[12] and budget cuts hampering the ability to monitor the impacts of climate change.[13][14] According to The Hill, Mattis also reportedly dissuaded Trump from attempting to assassinate Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria.[15]
On December 20, 2018, after failing to convince Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw all American troops from Syria, Mattis announced his resignation effective the end of February 2019; after Mattis's resignation generated significant media coverage, Trump abruptly accelerated Mattis' departure date to January 1, 2019, stating that he had essentially fired Mattis.[16]
- ^ Copp, Tara (October 17, 2018). "'Mr. Secretary, Are You a Democrat?'". Military Times. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Kovach, Gretel C. (January 19, 2013). "Just don't call him Mad Dog". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
He is a lifelong bachelor with no children, but wouldn't move into a monastery unless it was stocked with "beer and ladies."
- ^ a b Boot, Max (March 2006). "The Corps should look to its small-wars past". Armed Forces Journal. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
Mattis, who made a name for himself commanding troops in Afghanistan and Iraq (actually several names — he's known to the troops as the 'Warrior Monk' and 'Mad Dog Mattis')...
- ^ Evon, Dan (June 4, 2020). "Did Trump Give Mattis the Nickname 'Mad Dog'?". Snopes. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
The general, who reportedly hates this nickname, has been referred to as 'Mad Dog Mattis' in public reports since at least 2004. Los Angeles Times reported that the nickname originated with Mattis' troops:
- ^ Perry, Tony (April 16, 2004). "Marines' 'Mad Dog Mattis' Battles for Iraqis' Support". Los Angeles Times. p. 108. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
A man of average size and height, Mattis lacks the physical presence of some Marine officers. Nor is he an orator of note. But he is known for his concern for the enlisted ranks and unflagging confidence in his troops. Behind his back troops call him 'Mad Dog Mattis,' high praise in Marine culture.
- ^ Yglesias, Matthew (March 16, 2018). "James Mattis is linked to a massive corporate fraud and nobody wants to talk about it". Vox. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
- ^ "James Mattis, in South Korea, Tries to Reassure an Ally". The New York Times. February 2, 2017. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017.
- ^ "US warns North Korea against nuclear attack". Al Jazeera. February 3, 2017. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017.
- ^ Baldor, Lolita (February 16, 2017). "Mattis: US not ready to collaborate militarily with Russia". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Jackson, David (December 21, 2018). "Donald Trump disputes departing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over Russia, China". USA Today. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
- ^ McIntyre, Jamie (April 22, 2016). "Mattis: Iran is the biggest threat to Mideast peace". Washington Examiner. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ Ewing, Philip (December 20, 2018). "Defense Secretary Mattis Resigns Amid Syria And Afghanistan Tension". NPR.org. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ "Secretary of Defense James Mattis: The Lone Climate Change Soldier in this Administration's Cabinet". Union of Concerned Scientists. 2017.
- ^ "Climate change, extreme weather already threaten 50% of U.S. military sites". USA Today. January 31, 2018.
- ^ Swanson, Ian (September 15, 2020). "Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it". TheHill. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie (January 2, 2019). "Trump Says Mattis Resignation Was 'Essentially' a Firing, Escalating His New Front Against Military Critics". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 15, 2019.