Defense Secretary Mattis To Retire In February, Trump Says, Amid Syria Tension

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a living Marine Corps legend who made history by securing special permission from Congress to lead the Pentagon, is stepping down after a slow freeze-out by President Trump.

The president made the announcement via Twitter Thursday evening.

"General Jim Mattis will be retiring, with distinction, at the end of February, after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years," Trump wrote.

"General Mattis was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations. A new Secretary of Defense will be named shortly. I greatly thank Jim for his service!" the president also wrote in a second tweet about the departure.

Mattis' departure completes a near-wholesale shake-up of Trump's initial national security team and follows a record-setting series of departures of administration leaders so early in a presidency.

Of Trump's initial top national security or diplomatic policy advisers, only Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who began as CIA director, and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley remain — and Haley is set to depart the administration soon as well.

The dismissal followed an abrupt decision by Trump this week to withdraw American troops from Syria, over the objections of many of the president's military and national security advisers. - Read More

Defense Secretary Mattis To Retire In February, Trump Says, Amid Syria Tension

READ: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' Letter Announcing His Retirement