"Divisive President" Criticized... Trump Calls Mattis a "Mad Dog"

Trump: "Mattis, an Overrated General, I Fired Him"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested a harsh crackdown on protests sparked by the death of Black man George Floyd, calling him a "president of division." In response, President Trump mocked Mattis as a "mad dog" and immediately pushed back.

On the 3rd (local time), Mattis issued a statement to the current affairs media outlet 'The Atlantic,' condemning President Trump’s plan to deploy federal troops to suppress the protests, calling him "the only president in my life who does not even pretend to unite the people."

He pointed out, "President Trump is trying to divide us," adding, "I have witnessed this deliberate effort over the past three years. We are seeing the results of three years without mature leadership."

In particular, Mattis said, "The military should be deployed domestically only in very special cases and only at the request of governors," and warned, "As seen in Washington DC, a military response causes clashes between soldiers and civilians."

He continued, "When I enlisted 50 years ago, I swore an oath to uphold and support the Constitution," expressing regret, "I never dreamed that the military, which took the same oath, would be ordered to infringe on citizens' constitutional rights."

President Trump immediately expressed anger. On the same day, he tweeted, "The only thing former President Barack Obama and I have in common is the honor of firing the most overrated general in the world, Mattis."

He said, "I asked him for his resignation at the time, and I felt very good," adding, "Mattis’s nickname was Chaos, but I didn’t like it, so I changed it to 'mad dog.'"

He also said, "Former Secretary Mattis was more skilled in publicity than military command," adding, "I didn’t like his leadership style or other aspects, and others agreed. I’m glad he’s gone."

Highly regarded as a very upright and aggressive soldier, Mattis, nicknamed "Mad dog" (translated as 'mad dog' or 'angry dog'), is known as a living legend of the Marines who fought in the Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War. He served as the first Secretary of Defense under the Trump administration but was effectively dismissed after conflicts with President Trump over issues such as the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and handling North Korea’s nuclear threat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.