Trump expected to order Mattis to leave job immediately, appoint Patrick Shanahan as defense secretary
By Holly Rosenkrantz
/ CBS News
President Trump is expected to order Defense Secretary James Mattis to leave the job immediately, and will appoint Deputy Secretary Patrick Shanahan as acting secretary of defense, CBS News correspondent David Martin reported on "Face the Nation" Sunday, citing a senior administration official.
Mattis had planned to work through the February 28 date he cited in his resignation letter. He abruptly announced he would resign after Mr. Trump stunned advisers with this week's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria.
The retired Marine general wrote in his resignation letter, "You have the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours."
First published on December 23, 2018
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