House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) told reporters Thursday evening that she was “shaken” by the news of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis’s imminent resignation.
“I’m shaken by the news because of the patriot that Secretary Mattis is. I think everybody in the country should read his letter of resignation,” she told reporters at a press conference scheduled to discuss a looming government shutdown.
“I am shaken by the resignation of General Mattis. For what it means to our country, for the message it sends to our troops, and for the indication of what his view is of the commander-in-chief.”
She called Mattis “a comfort to many of us as a voice of stability in the Trump administration.”
{mosads}Pelosi said Mattis stood as a safeguard against what Democrats see as Trump’s impulsive leadership style.
Mattis informed President Trump in a letter dated Thursday that he would resign so the president could appoint a successor “whose views are better aligned.”
Mattis wrote that he believed allies should be treated “with respect” and the nation must be “resolute and unambiguous” with countries opposed to U.S. strategic interests, such as Russia and China.
“Just look at this week, the president taking troops out of Syria without really full consultation with the national security leaders of his own administration,” Pelosi said. “His reversing his position about signing a bill” to fund the government.
“There’s something that’s very wrong with the picture,” Pelosi added.
She noted that congressional leaders were briefed recently by Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“Our troops look to Secretary Mattis as a leader and now he is going to be leaving them. This is very serious to our country,” she said.
Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.), who stood with Pelosi during the remarks, called Mattis “one of the few symbols, the few items of strength and stability in this administration.”
“Everything that indicates stability, everything that indicates strength, everything that indicates knowledge is leaving this administration,” Schumer added, citing the imminent departures of Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John Kelley.
He also pointed to the departure of former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster earlier this year.