Mattis 'appalled' by Trump tweets announcing transgender ban: report

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill

BY JOHN BOWDEN - 07/28/17 10:07 AM EDT

Defense Secretary James Mattis was caught off-guard and "appalled" by President Trump's announcement that he was banning transgender people from serving in the military, according to a New York Times report.

Mattis, who was on vacation at the time of Trump's decision, only had one day's worth of notice before Trump tweeted his announcement of the policy, the paper reported. Sources close to the defense secretary told the Times that Mattis was infuriated by the tweets, and saw them as an insult to transgender Americans currently serving in the military.

-snip-

Mattis, according to the Times, had been quietly lobbying Republicans for months to defeat a GOP-led amendment to the 2017 spending bill that would prevent the military from spending money on transition surgery or hormone therapy for transgender service members. The report states that Mattis initially resisted the initial policy allowing transgender Americans to serve in the armed forces, but accepted that the policy was to remain in place.

His predecessor, former Obama Defense Secretary Ash Carter, ripped the Trump administration for reversing the policy.


Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/344290-mattis-appalled-by-trump-tweets-announcing-transgender-military-ban-report

[VermontKevin]

1. Alright, Chaos. (His callsign in Iraq.) Do your worst.

[exboyfil]

2. If he had the courage of his convictions

He would publicly denounce Trump. He is no longer an active officer, and he can freely do this. Make Trump fire him.

Irrespective of the policy that was tweeted, a Commander in Chief should not issue such proclamations without first notify all parties and allowing them the opportunity to react to the policy change.

[Pholus]

3. Mattis is doing the right thing.

Every time Mattis refuses to kiss Trump's butt (like the cabinet meeting where he praised his subordinates instead of Trump) it sends a message to the Trump supporters that a guy with REAL accomplishments (not Syphilis as a "personal Vietnam" ) is not buying the MAGA hype. That will be valuable when the time comes.

It would do ZERO good to have Mattis out, replaced with Scaramouch's even less socially-well-adjusted cousin. Cut the guy some slack.

Personally, I think the GOP has the goods on Trump/Putin (and Kompromat is control) but in order to advance their agenda they allowed it and made Trump agree to some conditions. I would bet heavily that Mattis's becoming Secretary of Defense was not Trump's idea -- its to ensure that Putin didn't have his finger on OUR trigger.

1) Mattis routinely defies Trump/Bannon. Right after Trump bagged on the intel community and the State Department, Mattis wrote the DOD that the three groups form a partnership. He is not a Trump yes man, and tiny hands Trump is strangely not offended by that. I think that's significant.

2) Trump turned deployment levels over to Mattis, a first for a civilian leader. Trump isn't a details person to be sure, but my alternate explanation is just as likely. Best part in either case is the confirmation that Trump is not in firm control of the military.

Nope, I like the idea our military is not under Trump's direct control. It's one of the reasons I bet we live through this.

[DK504]

4. Any of these people that "serve"

in this administration have no courage or honor.

[Moral Compass]

11. This is another example of his dysfunctional leadership style

Trump's leadership style comes from running a private operation where he could rule in anyway he liked.

No one has ever told him 'no' to his face (I'm sure people found ways to thwart him indirectly).

He has never developed the skill set to do this job. As Hillary (and many others) said he is completely unsuitable for the job in temperament, backgiround, and life experience.

He thinks he's a god king and everyone is working for him and can't understand that the loyalty is to the nation and the Constitution.

[Sunlei]

5. Mattis 'appalled'. why is trumps beloved "The Hill" ruining trumps AM news injections!?!!

you see what happens Mr. Trump?,
when you tossed away presidents military decision making to Republican party....they stab YOU in the back.

You'll always be the baby killer and gay hater, and Republicans list of generals will be 'appalled' with YOU.

[Javaman]

6. maybe tRumps ouster will come from a very unlikely source...

the military.

wouldn't that be something.

[kimbutgar]

9. A 7 days in May would be ok with me

But with the end having the president removed.

[Javaman]

10. 1 day now, would be better LOL

Cheers!

[pangaia]

13. It has occured to me....

[Johnyawl]

14. I would hate to see a military coup, and I believe Mattis would feel the same way...

...however...Mattis being where he is gives me the confidence to believe that there won't be a successful coup of any sort.

[Gothmog]

7. Trump lied about consulting generals

[VWolf]

8. Expect Mattis to be fired in 3 ... 2 ... 1 .... n/t

[Kleveland]

12. We could use a former military man with integrity like Eisenhauer in the WH.

He wasn't perfect, and he was a Republican, but he had pride, values, morals, code of ethics and scruples.

I salute his memory, and his service to the United States of America.

And that goes for all WWI & II Korean, Vietnam and other vets who sacrificed so much for the country that we are watching die in the hands of fathomless corporate greed, and misplaced religious judgement and intolerance.

The politics at hand right now disrespect that duty, and all of those sacrifices.

It is a God Damned shame!!!

[mwooldri]

15. If you look back at Eisenhower...

... you'll probably find his policies are more like Democratic Party policies. He continued New Deal policies, expanded Social Security, ended Korean War, started NASA... and then there's the Interstate Highway system. The Republican Party were even pro labour unions.

I probably would have voted for him if I were alive and able to do so.

[Kleveland]

16. Thank you for reminding me, and sharing this with the other members here....

Many who do not know the details of history could use this sobering reminder of one of the great presidents who have serve this country.

This, compared to the pitiful , evil and self serving useless individual who is hell bent on destroying our way of life, and all of the good work that the great presidents before him have performed.

I shudder in disbelief everyday that I wake up to this absolute TV Show hell of an administration.

[Marcuse]

17. True dat.

[Gothmog]

18. From my twitter feed

Link to tweet

?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2017%2F7%2F31%2F1685486%2F-Abbreviated-Pundit-Round-up-Potency-manliness-and-the-Trump-Party-of-One

[Gothmog]

19. Pentagon still awaiting White House guidance on transgender military ban

The Pentagon still has not received any further instructions from trump http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-awaiting-white-house-guidance-transgender-military-ban/story?id=48950918

The Pentagon still has not received guidance from the White House since President Trump tweeted that transgender individuals may not serve in the U.S. military, the Pentagon confirmed Monday.

"What we saw was what amounts to an announcement from the commander in chief," Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said of the series of tweets that Trump posted last Wednesday, in which he wrote that "no transgender individuals" will be allowed "to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military."....

“We are now in the process of waiting for that to be formally articulated to us in a policy memo. We'll be standing by to make that happen," Davis said.

Last week Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a memo to military commanders, "There will be no modifications to the current policy until the president's direction has been received by the secretary of defense and the secretary has issued implementation guidance."

"We are awaiting formal guidance," Davis told reporters, adding that the Pentagon has reason to believe it will get a formal direction in writing from the White House.