Mattis exit leaves Trump, US further isolated
Defense Secretary James Mattis's acrimonious divorce from the Trump administration leaves behind a president increasingly isolated from his own party, the Pentagon and traditional U.S. allies.
While Mattis’s exit wasn't a complete shock after months of speculation about his possible resignation, the manner in which he left — which put his disagreements with Trump in the public spotlight — appeared to unnerve lawmakers in both parties.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.), a staunch Trump supporter, said he is “very concerned” about the direction of U.S. foreign policy following Mattis’s resignation.
“There’s no one who has known him longer and better, and had more affection for Mattis, than I do,” Inhofe said.
Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria over the objections of Mattis and other advisers “signals a sharp shift away from what has been a 70-year consensus in Congress and in our national security leadership that our alliances matter.”
“You consult with our intelligence community, national security community and our allies before making abrupt decisions that will impact the whole country,” he said.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/422555-mattis-exit-leaves-trump-us-further-isolated?userid=229233