President Trump “is having a tough time hiring a Pentagon chief after the abrupt departure of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late last month,” Politico reports.
“The refusals are particularly striking given that the top Pentagon job is historically among the Cabinet’s most prestigious and powerful, and coveted by national security veterans. But Mattis’ resignation — announced in a letter indicating that Trump had disregarded his advice on fundamental issues — has reinforced the image of a commander in chief unafraid to buck his top military advisers.”