Dear Mr. President:
I have been privileged to serve as our country’s 26th Secretary of
Defense which has allowed me to serve alongside our men and women of the Department
in defense of our citizens and our ideals.
I am proud of the progress that has been made over the past two
years on some of the key goals articulated in our National Defense Strategy:
putting the Department on a more sound budgetary footing, improving readiness
and lethality in our forces, and reforming the Department’s business practices
for greater performance. Our troops continue to provide the capabilities needed
to prevail in conflict and sustain strong US global influence.
One core belief I have always held
is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our
unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships. While the US
remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our
interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances
and showing respect to those allies. Like you, I have said from the beginning
that the armed forces of the United States should not be the policeman of the
world. Instead, we must use all tools of American power to provide for the
common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances.
NATO’s 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to
fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS
coalition of 74 nations is further proof.
Similarly, I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our
approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in
tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to
shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining veto authority
over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions—to promote
their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.
That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the
common defense.
My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed
about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and
informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. We must do
everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to
our security, prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by
the solidarity of our alliances.
Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views
are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is
right for me to step down from my position. The end date for my tenure is
February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to
be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department’s interests
are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include
Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in
February. Further, that a full transition to a new Secretary of Defense occurs
well in advance of the transition of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in
September in order to ensure stability within the Department.
I pledge my full effort to a smooth transition that ensures the
needs and interests of the 2.15 million Service Members and 732,079 DoD
civilians receive undistracted attention of the Department at all times so that
they can fulfill their critical, round-the-clock mission to protect the
American people.
I very much appreciate this opportunity to serve the nation and
our men and women in uniform.
James N. Mattis
I’m Peter Dekom, and the above directly quoted letter of resignation is
an exceptionally rare open expression of disagreement with a sitting president
from a departing member of his cabinet.
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