Outgoing Secretary of Defense James Mattis delivered a farewell message to the Department of Defense employees that he will no longer be overseeing and included what some may see as a passive aggressive parting shot to President Donald Trump. 

The brief farewell note opened by citing a one sentence telegram sent by President Abraham Lincoln to General Ulysses S. Grant that read “Let nothing which is transpiring change, hinder or delay your military movements, or plans.” He then followed with glowing words towards the U.S. military before adding “Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult.”

On December 20th, General Mattis resigned in protest over Trump’s surprise withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and delivered a resignation letter that many saw as a public rebuke of Trump’s foreign policy.

When Mattis resigned, he pledged to stay on as Defense Secretary through the end of February. But press reports suggested that President Trump was so unhappy with media reports on Mattis letter, that he hastened Mattis departure, replacing him with Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who will take over the Pentagon on January 1st of 2019.

 

 

 

 

from Mediaite http://bit.ly/2SoDrVI