The Atlantic

<em>Radio Atlantic</em>: The Man Who Couldn’t Take It Anymore

Nine months ago, Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned in protest. As the last “adult in the room” at the Trump White House, what has his departure meant? And could his frank assessment of the president make a difference?

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In December, Defense Secretary James Mattis after President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw troops from Syria. As the last “adult in the room” at the White House, observers worried that his departure would the president’s behavior even further. Days after the news broke though, Christmas and the government shutdown pushed Mattis’s resignation into the background.

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