Mattis, Trump Differ on Putin and Russia — Wash Times

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced reitred Marine Corps General James Mattis as his top pick for defense secretary as his billionaire-filled cabinet continues to garner criticism.

The rally is part of Trump’s tour of battleground states where voters helped him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Mattis formally accepted Trump’s nomination at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, saying that he looks forward to serving in the role.

But Democrats who agree, at least conceptually, with Trump’s anti-regime change message told VOA they do not trust the messenger.

“I think for Boeing and the suppliers, I wouldn’t worry”.

“We want to be the smart people”.

Trump returned to the Crown Coliseum, where he campaigned earlier this year.

Soon after North Carolina’s outgoing governor, Pat McCrory, took his seat in the front row of the rally, Trump – without mentioning that McCrory will fly to NY on Wednesday to meet with Trump about a possible position in his administration – touted the quality of the people he has chosen so far.

“We will have such a strong military”, Trump said Tuesday evening.

The Trump transition team also confirmed that the president-elect will attend the Army-Navy football game on Saturday in Baltimore.

Other Republicans warmed to the president-elect’s message.

Also known as “Warrior Monk”, Mattis served as the commander of the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) from August 2010 to March 2013. Mattis, Trump’s pick for the position, left the military just three years ago, meaning he would need to be given an exception by Congress. “Hopefully, they’re going to write the truth”, Trump said of the media.

Democrats including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from NY, have said they will oppose granting Mattis a waiver.

Both Trump and Mattis publicly remarked on their hope that Congress would grant it.

Before he made it to the venue, however, Trump’s plane had to make an unscheduled landing in Raleigh, North Carolina, due to cold, rainy weather at the Fayetteville airport.

While not directly criticizing Trump’s non-interventionism, McCain said a more assertive USA role on the world stage is needed.

As background, James Mattis joined the Marine Corps in 1969 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1972, after earning his Bachelor’s degree at Central Washington University. He says he believes the former general’s battlefield experience gives him persuasive power with Trump. We’re bringing people together.

“The failure of this president [Barack Obama] to lead has led to 500,000 killed [in Syria] and six million refugees”, the Arizona senator said.

Trump also plans to meet with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a possible nominee for ambassador to China. That conversation takes place shortly after China protested Trump’s phone call with the president of Taiwan, a country that China regards as a renegade province.

The first rally of his post-election “Thank You Tour” on December 1 also featured eight minutes of Trump railing against the press. “If you don’t get that waiver there are going to be a lot of angry people”.