Washington – US President Donald Trump is seeking to replace DefenceSecretary Jim Mattis mainly because of the sharp differences between them,a report in The Washington Post has claimed.
The report quoted an unnamed White House official as saying thatspeculation about a replacement was now “more real than ever” afterrevelations in famed investigative journalist Bob Woodward’s upcoming booktitled “Fear: Trump in the White House”. However, Trump, soon after thepublication of the report denied such a move and said Mattis is doing afantastic job.
Mattis is in India along with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to attend themaiden India-US 2+2 dialogue being hosted by their Indian counterpartsExternal Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister NirmalaSitharaman. “Well before this week’s revelations about President Trump’sinteractions with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Bob Woodward’s new book,officials inside the White House have been actively discussing who willreplace Mattis at the Pentagon whenever he might step down,? the dailyreported.
In the forthcoming book being released next week, Woodward claims thatMattis told associates that Trump “acted like and had the understanding ofa fifth- or sixth-grader”.
The 448-page book is scheduled to hit stores on September 11 and claims togive an insider’s account on the White House working and decision-makingprocess in Trump’s presidency.
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Mattis would leave his post sometime over the next few months, according tothe daily. “The speculation about who replaces Mattis is now more real thanever,” a senior White House official was quoted as saying in the report.
“The president has always respected him. But now he has every reason towonder what Mattis is saying behind his back. The relationship has nowhereto go but down, fast,” the official said. Mattis a day earlier had issued astatement denying his remarks in Woodward’s book. “The contemptuous wordsabout the president attributed to me in Woodward’s book were never utteredby me or in my presence.
