View source for Jim Mattis

{{Short description|American military officer (born 1950)}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image               = James Mattis official photo.jpg
| office              = 26th [[United States Secretary of Defense]]
| caption             = Official portrait, 2017
| president           = [[Donald Trump]]
| deputy              = [[Robert O. Work]]<br>Patrick M. Shanahan
| term_start          = January 20, 2017
| term_end            = January 1, 2019
| predecessor         = [[Ash Carter]]
| successor           = [[Patrick M. Shanahan]] (acting)
| office1             = 11th Commander of the [[United States Central Command]]
| president1          = [[Barack Obama]]
| term_start1         = August 11, 2010
| term_end1           = March 22, 2013
| predecessor1        = [[David Petraeus]]
| successor1          = [[Lloyd Austin]]
| office2             = 5th Commander of the [[United States Joint Forces Command]]
| president2          = {{ubl |[[George W. Bush]] |Barack Obama}}
| term_start2         = November 9, 2007
| term_end2           = August 11, 2010
| predecessor2        = [[Lance L. Smith]]
| successor2          = [[Raymond T. Odierno]]
| office3             = 3rd [[Allied Command Transformation|Supreme Allied Commander Transformation]]
| deputy3             = [[Luciano Zappata]]
| term_start3         = November 9, 2007
| term_end3           = September 8, 2008
| predecessor3        = Lance L. Smith
| successor3          = [[Stéphane Abrial]]
| birth_name          = James Norman Mattis
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1950|9|8}}
| birth_place         = [[Pullman, Washington]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Independent politician|Independent]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/10/16/mr-secretary-are-you-a-democrat |title='Mr. Secretary, Are You a Democrat?' |date=October 17, 2018 |accessdate=August 21, 2022 |first=Tara |last=Copp |work=[[Sightline Media Group|Military Times]]}}</ref>
| spouse              = {{marriage |Christina Lomasney |2022}}
| education           = {{ubl |[[Central Washington University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) |[[National Defense University (Washington, D.C.)|National Defense University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])}}
| signature           = James N. Mattis Signature.svg
| nickname            = {{ubl |"Chaos" (callsign)<ref name=Kovach>{{cite web |last=Kovach |first=Gretel C. |title=Just don't call him Mad Dog |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-just-dont-call-him-mad-dog-2013jan19-story.html |access-date=November 20, 2016 |newspaper=San Diego Union Tribune |date=January 19, 2013|quote=He is a lifelong bachelor with no children, but wouldn't move into a monastery unless it was stocked with "beer and ladies".}}</ref> |"[[Warrior Monk]]"<ref name=Kovach /><ref name=ArmedForceJournal>{{cite web |url=http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/the-corps-should-look-to-its-small-wars-past/ |access-date=July 29, 2014 |title=The Corps should look to its small-wars past |author-link=Max Boot |last=Boot |first=Max |work=[[Armed Forces Journal]] |date=March 2006 |quote=Mattis, who made a name for himself commanding troops in Afghanistan and Iraq (actually several names — he's known to the troops as the 'Warrior Monk' and 'Mad Dog Mattis')...}}</ref> |"Mad Dog"<ref name="snopes_mad_dog">{{cite web |last=Evon |first=Dan |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Did Trump Give Mattis the Nickname 'Mad Dog'? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-mattis-mad-dog/ |access-date=June 5, 2020 |publisher=Snopes |language=en-US |quote=The general, who reportedly hates this nickname, has been referred to as 'Mad Dog Mattis' in public reports since at least 2004. ''Los Angeles Times'' reported that the nickname originated with Mattis's troops:}}</ref><ref name="la_times_evon">{{cite web |last=Perry |first=Tony |date=April 16, 2004 |title=Marines' 'Mad Dog Mattis' Battles for Iraqis' Support |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52763889/the-los-angeles-times/ |access-date=June 5, 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |page=108 |via=Newspapers.com |language=en|quote=A man of average size and height, Mattis lacks the physical presence of some Marine officers. Nor is he an orator of note. But he is known for his concern for the enlisted ranks and unflagging confidence in his troops. Behind his back troops call him 'Mad Dog Mattis', high praise in Marine culture.}}</ref><ref name=ArmedForceJournal/>}}
| allegiance          = United States
| branch              = [[United States Marine Corps]]
| serviceyears        = 1969–2013
| rank                = [[General (United States)|General]]
| commands            = {{ubl |[[United States Central Command]] |[[United States Joint Forces Command]] |[[Allied Command Transformation|Supreme Allied Commander Transformation]] |[[I Marine Expeditionary Force]] |[[United States Marine Forces Central Command]] |[[Marine Corps Combat Development Command]] |[[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]] |[[1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] |[[7th Marine Regiment (United States)|7th Marine Regiment]] |[[1st Battalion 7th Marines|1st Battalion, 7th Marines]]}}
| battles             = {{Tree list}}
* [[Gulf War]]
* [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]]
* [[Iraq War]]
** [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Invasion of Iraq]]
** [[First Battle of Fallujah]]
** [[Second Battle of Fallujah]]
{{Tree list/end}}
| mawards             = {{ubl |[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] (2) |[[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]] |[[Defense Superior Service Medal]] |[[Legion of Merit]] |[[Bronze Star Medal]] (with [["V" device|Valor]]) |[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] (3)}}
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=SecDef Jim Mattis Testifies on the Political and Security Situation in Afghanistan.ogg |title=Mattis's voice |type=speech |description=Mattis testifying before the [[Senate Armed Services Committee]] on Afghanistan.<br>Recorded October 3, 2017}}
}}
'''James Norman<!-- "Mad Dog" is already a listed nickname in the infobox. Don't add it here. --> Mattis''' (born September 8, 1950) is an American military officer who served as the 26th [[United States secretary of defense]] from 2017 to 2019. A retired [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] four-star [[General (United States)|general]], he commanded forces in the [[Gulf War]], the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], and the [[Iraq War]].

Mattis was commissioned in the Marine Corps through the [[Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps]] after graduating from [[Central Washington University]]. A career Marine, he gained a reputation among his peers for intellectualism and eventually advanced to the rank of general. From 2007 to 2010, he commanded the [[United States Joint Forces Command]] and concurrently served as [[NATO]]'s [[Allied Command Transformation|Supreme Allied Commander Transformation]]. He was commander of [[United States Central Command]] from 2010 to 2013, with [[Robert Harward|Admiral Bob Harward]] serving as his deputy commander. After retiring from the military, Mattis held several private sector roles, including serving on the board of directors at [[Theranos]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2018/3/16/17124288/mattis-theranos-board-trump|title=James Mattis is linked to a massive corporate fraud and nobody wants to talk about it|last=Yglesias|first=Matthew|date=March 16, 2018|website=Vox|access-date=December 31, 2018}}</ref>

Mattis was nominated as secretary of defense by president-elect [[Donald Trump]], and confirmed by the Senate on January 20, 2017. As secretary of defense, Mattis affirmed the United States' commitment to defending longtime ally [[South Korea]] in the wake of the [[2017–18 North Korea crisis|2017 North Korea crisis]].<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/world/asia/james-mattis-us-korea-thaad.html |title=James Mattis, in South Korea, Tries to Reassure an Ally |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 2, 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108153812/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/world/asia/james-mattis-us-korea-thaad.html |archive-date=November 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="aljazeera.com">{{cite news |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/warns-north-korea-nuclear-attack-170203034440571.html |title=US warns North Korea against nuclear attack |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204092355/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/02/warns-north-korea-nuclear-attack-170203034440571.html |archive-date=February 4, 2017 |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=February 3, 2017}}</ref> An opponent of proposed collaboration with [[China]] and [[Russia]],<ref name="baldor">{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mattis-us-ready-collaborate-militarily-russia-45531272|title=Mattis: US not ready to collaborate militarily with Russia |last=Baldor |first=Lolita |date=February 16, 2017 |publisher=ABC News |agency=Associated Press|access-date=February 16, 2017}}</ref> Mattis stressed what he saw as their "threat to the American-led world order".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/amp/2386071002|title=Donald Trump disputes departing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over Russia, China|last=Jackson|first=David|date=December 21, 2018|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=December 23, 2018}}</ref> Mattis occasionally voiced his disagreement with certain Trump administration policies such as the withdrawal from the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|Iran nuclear deal]],<ref name="Washington Examiner">{{cite news |last1=McIntyre |first1=Jamie |title=Mattis: Iran is the biggest threat to Mideast peace |url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/mattis-iran-is-the-biggest-threat-to-mideast-peace/article/2589267 |access-date=December 2, 2016 |work=[[Washington Examiner]] |date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> withdrawals of troops from Syria and Afghanistan,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/20/623246756/defense-secretary-mattis-to-retire-in-february-trump-says|title=Defense Secretary Mattis Resigns Amid Syria And Afghanistan Tension|publisher=NPR|date=December 20, 2018|language=en|access-date=October 15, 2019|last1=Ewing|first1=Philip}}</ref> and budget cuts hampering the ability to [[climate security|monitor the impacts of climate change]].<ref name="Union of Concerned Scientists">{{cite web |url=http://blog.ucsusa.org/shana-udvardy/secretary-of-defense-james-mattis-the-lone-climate-change-soldier-in-this-administrations-cabinet |title=Secretary of Defense James Mattis: The Lone Climate Change Soldier in this Administration's Cabinet |year=2017 |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2018/01/31/climate-change-extreme-weather-military-defense-department-trump-global-warming-wildfires-droughts/1079278001/ |title=Climate change, extreme weather already threaten 50% of U.S. military sites |work=USA Today |date= January 31, 2018}}</ref> According to ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]'', Mattis also reportedly dissuaded Trump from attempting to assassinate [[Bashar al-Assad]], the [[president of Syria]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Swanson|first=Ian|date=September 15, 2020|title=Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/516443-trump-says-he-wanted-to-take-out-syrias-assad-but-mattis-opposed-it/|access-date=September 15, 2020|website=The Hill|language=en}}</ref>

On December 20, 2018, after failing to convince Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw all American troops from Syria, Mattis announced his resignation effective the end of February 2019; after Mattis's resignation generated significant media coverage, Trump abruptly accelerated Mattis's departure date to January 1, 2019, stating that he had essentially fired Mattis.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/politics/trump-mattis-defense-secretary-generals.html|title=Trump Says Mattis Resignation Was 'Essentially' a Firing, Escalating His New Front Against Military Critics|last=Haberman|first=Maggie|date=January 2, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 15, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Mattis was born on September 8, 1950, in [[Pullman, Washington]].<ref name=SenateNom>{{cite web|title=Nominations before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Second Session, 111th Congress|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111shrg65070/pdf/CHRG-111shrg65070.pdf|publisher=US Government Printing Office|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> He is the son of Lucille (Proulx) Mattis<ref>{{cite web|title=Lucille Mattis Obituary|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tricityherald/obituary.aspx?pid=193576447|work =The Tri-City Herald|access-date=August 8, 2019}}</ref> and John West Mattis,<ref>{{cite web|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About James Mattis|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-01-13/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-james-mattis|access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=James Mattis Fast Facts|date=December 26, 2016|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/26/us/jim-mattis-fast-facts|publisher=CNN Library|access-date=January 22, 2017}}</ref> a [[United States Merchant Marine|merchant mariner]]. His mother immigrated to the United States from Canada as an infant and had worked in [[Military Intelligence Corps (United States Army)|Army Intelligence]] in [[South Africa]] during the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Reflections with General James Mattis – Conversations with History| date=June 5, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOc38ZwEO8s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/HOc38ZwEO8s| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|publisher=University Of California Television|access-date=December 19, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Mattis's father moved to [[Richland, Washington]], to work at a [[Hanford Site|plant]] supplying [[fissile material]] to the [[Manhattan Project]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-07 |title=Trump's Defense pick Mattis always comes home to Richland, 'this town that formed me' |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/james-mad-dog-mattis-trumps-defense-pick-always-comes-home-to-richland-this-town-that-formed-me/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Retired Gen. Jim Mattis gets married. The bride has a high-profile job in Richland |url=https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article262985848.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302084941/https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article262985848.html |archive-date=2025-03-02 |access-date=2025-06-25 |work=Tri-City Herald |language=en}}</ref> Mattis was raised in a bookish household that did not own a television.<ref name="NYBIO">{{cite news |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |title=James Mattis, a Warrior in Washington |date=May 29, 2017 |access-date=May 22, 2017 |url=https://newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/29/james-mattis-a-warrior-in-washington}}</ref>

Mattis graduated from [[Richland High School (Washington)|Richland High School]] in 1968.<ref name="NYBIO" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Kraemer|first1=Kristin M.|title=Gen. Mattis, Trump's possible defense chief, fulfills Benton County jury duty|url=http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article116590898.html|work=Tri-City Herald|date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[history]] from [[Central Washington University]] in 1971<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Mattis |title=James Mattis |encyclopedia=Britannica |first=Michael |last=Ray |date=December 2, 2016 |access-date=December 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220233204/https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Mattis |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Baldor">{{cite news|last1=Baldor|first1=Lolita C.|title=Trump to nominate retired Gen. James Mattis to lead Pentagon|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/whitehouse/trump-to-nominate-retired-gen-james-mattis-to-lead-pentagon/2016/12/01/fc8d55a8-b831-11e6-939c-91749443c5e5_story.html|access-date=December 23, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 2, 2016|archive-date=December 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203144701/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/whitehouse/trump-to-nominate-retired-gen-james-mattis-to-lead-pentagon/2016/12/01/fc8d55a8-b831-11e6-939c-91749443c5e5_story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jfcom.mil/|title=United States Joint Forces Command|access-date=September 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202023400/http://www.jfcom.mil/|archive-date=February 2, 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a [[Master of Arts]] in international security affairs from the [[National War College]] of [[National Defense University (Washington, D.C.)|National Defense University]] in 1994.<ref name="Historical Office">{{cite web|url=https://history.defense.gov/Multimedia/Biographies/Article-View/Article/1059855/james-n-mattis/|title=James N. Mattis – Donald Trump Administration|publisher=Office of the Secretary of Defense – Historical Office|access-date=November 14, 2022}}</ref>

== Marine career ==
[[File:Major General James N. Mattis addresses the Marines of Headquarters Battalion.jpg|left|thumb|222x222px|Mattis addressing Marines at [[Camp Commando, Kuwait]], during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] in February 2003.]]
Mattis enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] [[United States Marine Corps Reserve|Reserve]] in 1969.<ref>{{cite AV media | people = Mattis, James | date = September 25, 2013 | title = General James Mattis, "In the Midst of the Storm: A US Commander's View of the Changing Middle East" | url =  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzl8hZWzVpI | access-date = June 2, 2015 | time = 80:10 | publisher = [[Dartmouth College]]}}</ref> He was commissioned a [[Second lieutenant#United States|second lieutenant]] through the [[Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps]] on January 1, 1972.<ref name=Reynolds>{{cite book|last=Reynolds|first=Nicholas E.|title=Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond|url=https://archive.org/details/basrahbaghdadbey00reyn/page/4|access-date=February 20, 2013|year=2005|publisher=US Naval Institute Press|isbn=978-1-59114-717-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/basrahbaghdadbey00reyn/page/4 4–5]}}</ref> During his service years, Mattis was considered an "intellectual" among the upper ranks.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal|last1=Ricks|first1=Thomas E.|title=Fiasco|journal=Armed Forces Journal|date=August 1, 2006|url=http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/fiasco/|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> [[Robert H. Scales]], a retired [[United States Army]] [[Major General (United States)|major general]], called him "one of the most urbane and polished men I have known."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/08/james-mattis-no-better-friend-no-worse-enemy/|title=James Mattis: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy|last=Proser|first=Jim|date=August 15, 2017|website=National Review|access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> As a lieutenant, Mattis was assigned as a rifle and weapons [[platoon]] commander in the [[3rd Marine Division (United States)|3rd Marine Division]]. As a [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]], he was assigned as the [[Naval Academy Preparatory School]]'s [[Battalion]] Officer, commanded rifle and weapons companies in the [[1st Marine Regiment (United States)|1st Marine Regiment]], then served at [[Marine Corps Recruiting Command#12th Marine Corps District|Recruiting Station]] [[Portland, Oregon]], as a [[Major (United States)|major]].<ref name=hall /> 
Upon promotion to the rank of [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]], Mattis commanded [[1st Battalion, 7th Marines]], one of [[7th Marine Regiment (United States)|Task Force Ripper]]'s assault battalions during the [[Gulf War]].<ref name="Lowry">{{cite news|last1=Lowry|first1=Richard|title=Op-ed: General James N. Mattis – A Marine for the History Books|url=http://americanmilitarynews.com/2016/12/op-ed-general-james-n-mattis-a-marine-for-the-history-books/|access-date=March 10, 2017|work=[[American Military News]]|date=December 9, 2016}}</ref> As a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]], Mattis commanded the [[7th Marine Regiment (United States)|7th Marine Regiment]] from June 28, 1994, to June 14, 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=1ST MARINE DIVISION AND ITS REGIMENTS |url=https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/The%201st%20Marine%20Division%20and%20its%20Regiments%20%20PCN%2019000314800.pdf|website=usmcu.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603024023/https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/The%201st%20Marine%20Division%20and%20its%20Regiments%20%20PCN%2019000314800.pdf|access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Gen_James_N._Mattis.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|right|Official portrait as [[Supreme Allied Commander Transformation]]]]

Mattis is a graduate of the US Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, [[U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College|US Marine Corps Command and Staff College]], and the [[National War College]]. He is noted for his interest in the study of [[military history]] and [[World history (field)|world history]],<ref name=Ricks /><ref name="A Marine General at War" /> with a personal library that once included over 7,000 volumes,<ref name=Kovach /> and a penchant for publishing required reading lists for Marines under his command.<ref name="LtGen James Mattis' Reading List">{{cite web|work=[[Small Wars Journal]]|title=LtGen James Mattis' Reading List|url=http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/ltgen-james-mattis-reading-list|date=June 5, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Ricks, p. 317">{{cite book| last=Ricks |title=Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq |page=317}}</ref> He required his Marines to be well-read in the culture and history of regions where they were deployed, and had his Marines deploying to Iraq undergo "cultural sensitivity training".<ref name="A Marine General at War" /> According to an article published in 2004 by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' it was his concern for the enlisted ranks along with his energy and enthusiasm that garnered him the nickname "Mad Dog".<ref name="snopes_mad_dog"/><ref name="la_times_evon"/> But in 2016, when President-elect Trump asked Mattis if his nickname was indeed "Mad Dog", Mattis replied, "No, sir," saying that his actual nickname was "Chaos".<ref>Woodward, Bob. ''Rage''. Simon & Schuster. 2020, p. 4.</ref>

=== War in Afghanistan ===
{{further|War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)}}
Mattis led the [[1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade]] as its commanding officer upon promotion to brigadier general.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Walker|first1=Mark|title=Mattis to assume command of I MEF|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-mattis-to-assume-command-of-i-mef-2006jun02-story.html|access-date=May 19, 2017|newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune|date=June 2, 2006}}</ref> It was as a regimental commander that he earned his nickname and call sign, "CHAOS", an acronym for "Colonel Has Another Outstanding Solution", which was initially somewhat tongue in cheek.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wolf|first1=McKenzie|title=The origin of Mattis' call sign, 'Chaos'|url=https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2017/09/21/mattis-explains-the-origin-of-the-call-sign-chaos/|access-date=October 20, 2017|newspaper=Marine Corps Times|date=September 21, 2017}}</ref>

During the initial planning for the War in Afghanistan, Mattis led Task Force 58 in operations in the southern part of the country beginning in November 2001.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gal Perl|last=Finkel |url=https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/General-Mattis-A-warrior-diplomat-475187 |title=General Mattis: A warrior diplomat |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220162731/http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/General-Mattis-A-warrior-diplomat-475187 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date=December 12, 2016}}</ref> This led to him becoming the first Marine Corps officer to command a Naval Task Force in combat.<ref name=Reynolds /> According to Mattis, his objective upon arriving in Afghanistan was to "make sure that the enemy didn't feel like they had any safe haven, to destroy their sense of security in southern Afghanistan, to isolate [[Kandahar]] from its lines of communication, and to move against Kandahar".<ref name="BARZILAI2014">{{cite book|first=Yaniv |last=Barzilai |title=102 Days of War: How Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda & the Taliban Survived 2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MsvQAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA45|date=January 31, 2014|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-61234-534-5|pages=45ff}}</ref> In December 2001, an airstrike carried out by a [[B-52]] bomber inadvertently targeted a position held by US [[special operations]] troops and Afghan militiamen in [[Uruzgan Province]]. Numerous men were wounded in the incident, but Mattis repeatedly refused to dispatch helicopters from the nearby [[Camp Rhino]] to recover them, citing operational safety concerns. Instead, an Air Force helicopter flew from [[Uzbekistan]] to ferry the men to the [[US Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] base where helicopters sat readily available but unauthorized to fly. Captain [[Jason Amerine]] blamed the delay caused by Mattis's refusal to order a rescue operation for the deaths of several men. Amerine wrote, "Every element in Afghanistan tried to help us except the closest friendly unit, commanded by Mattis," though he also wrote that "none of that was assessed properly because the [<nowiki/>[[5th Special Forces Group (United States)|5th Special Forces Group]]] chose not to call for a formal investigation".<ref name="Tritten 2016">{{cite web |last=Tritten |first=Travis J. |title=Retired Green Beret says Mattis left 'my men to die' in Afghanistan |website=Stars and Stripes |date=December 2, 2016 |url=https://www.stripes.com/news/retired-green-beret-says-mattis-left-my-men-to-die-in-afghanistan-1.442367 |access-date=February 17, 2018 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225231551/https://www.stripes.com/news/retired-green-beret-says-mattis-left-my-men-to-die-in-afghanistan-1.442367 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Vladimirov 2016">{{cite web |last=Vladimirov |first=Nikita |title=Former Special Forces officer: Mattis 'betrayed his duty to us' |work=The Hill |date=December 2, 2016 |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/308527-former-special-forces-officer-blasts-trump-defense-secretary/ |access-date=February 17, 2018}}</ref> This episode was used against Mattis when he was nominated for defense secretary in 2016.<ref name="Meek Ferran 2016">{{cite web |last1=Meek |first1=James Gordon |last2=Ferran |first2=Lee |title=Men Left 'to Die': Gen. James Mattis' Controversial Wartime Decision |publisher=ABC News |date=December 6, 2016 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/men-left-die-gen-james-mattis-controversial-wartime/story?id=44018222 |access-date=February 17, 2018}}</ref>

While serving in Afghanistan as a [[brigadier general]], Mattis was known as an officer who engaged his men with "real leadership".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ricks |first=Thomas E. |date=2016-11-22 |title=A SecDef nominee at war?: What I wrote about General Mattis in 'The Generals' |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/22/a-secdef-nominee-at-war-what-i-wrote-about-general-mattis-in-the-generals/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}}</ref> A young Marine officer, [[Nathaniel Fick]], said he witnessed Mattis in a [[Defensive fighting position|fighting hole]] talking with a sergeant and lance corporal: "No one would have questioned Mattis if he'd slept eight hours each night in a private room, to be woken each morning by an aide who ironed his uniforms and heated his [[Meal, Ready-to-Eat|MREs]]. But there he was, in the middle of a freezing night, out on the lines with his Marines."<ref name=RicksG>{{cite book|author-link=Thomas E. Ricks (journalist) |first=Thomas E.|last= Ricks|title=The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today|date=2012|page=405|publisher=Penguin Press|location=New York|isbn=978-1-59420-404-3}}</ref>

=== Iraq War ===
[[File:Genmattisltr.jpg|thumb|200px|Letter written by Mattis on the eve of the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], addressed to members of the 1st Marine Division]]
As a [[Major general (United States)|major general]], Mattis commanded the [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]] during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] and the [[Iraq War]].<ref name=Ricks>{{cite book|title=[[Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq]]|author-link=Thomas E. Ricks (journalist) |first=Thomas E.|last= Ricks|publisher=Penguin Press|location=New York|year=2006|page=313}}</ref> Mattis played key roles in combat operations in [[Fallujah]], including negotiation with the insurgent command inside the city during [[First Battle of Fallujah|Operation Vigilant Resolve]] in April 2004, as well as participation in planning of the subsequent [[Second Battle of Fallujah|Operation Phantom Fury]] in November.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Szoldra|first1=Paul|title=19 unforgettable quotes from legendary Marine Gen. James 'Mad Dog' Mattis|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/general-mattiss-best-quotes-2016-11/#i-dont-lose-any-sleep-at-night-over-the-potential-for-failure-i-cannot-even-spell-the-word-7|access-date=May 19, 2017|work=Business Insider|date=December 1, 2006}}</ref>

==== Wedding bombing ====
In May 2004, Mattis ordered the 3&nbsp;a.m. bombing of what his intelligence section had reported was a suspected enemy [[safe house]] near the Syrian border, but was later reported to be [[Mukaradeeb wedding party massacre|a wedding party]] and allegedly resulted in the deaths of 42 civilians, including 11 women and 14 children. Mattis said it had taken him 30 seconds to decide whether to bomb the location. Describing the wedding as implausible, he said, "How many people go to the middle of the desert to hold a wedding {{Convert|80|mi|abbr=out}} from the nearest civilization? These were more than two dozen military-age males. Let's not be naive."<ref>{{Cite book|first=Bing|last=West|year=2008|title=The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq|location=New York|publisher=[[Random House]]|isbn=978-1-4000-6701-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/strongesttribewa00west/page/245 245]|url=https://archive.org/details/strongesttribewa00west/page/245}}</ref> The occurrence of a wedding was disputed by military officials, but the [[Associated Press]] obtained video footage showing a wedding party and a video the next day showed musical instruments and party decoration among the remains.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/iraq-wedding-party-video-backs-survivors-claims/|title=Iraq Wedding-Party Video Backs Survivors' Claims|date=May 24, 2004|newspaper=Fox News|access-date=February 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204165706/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2004/05/24/iraq-wedding-party-video-backs-survivors-claims.html|archive-date=December 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> When asked by the press about footage on Arabic television of a child's body being lowered into a grave, he replied: "I have not seen the pictures but bad things happen in wars. I don't have to apologize for the conduct of my men."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/may/21/iraq.rorymccarthy|title=US soldiers started to shoot us, one by one|date=May 20, 2004|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

==== Department of Defense survey ====
Following a Department of Defense survey that showed only 55% of US soldiers and 40% of Marines would report a colleague for abusing civilians, Mattis told Marines in May 2007 that "whenever you show anger or disgust toward civilians, it's a victory for [[al-Qaeda]] and other insurgents." Believing that a need for restraint in war as key to defeating an insurgency, he added: "every time you wave at an Iraqi civilian, [[al-Qaeda]] rolls over in its grave."<ref>{{cite news|title=General Urges Marines To Add A Friendly Wave To Their Arsenal|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-may-17-fg-force17-story.html|last=Perry|first=Tony|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=May 17, 2007|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref>

==== 1st Marine Division's motto "no better friend, no worse enemy" ====
Mattis popularized the [[1st Marine Division|1st Marine Division's]] motto "no better friend, no worse enemy", a paraphrase of the epitaph the [[Roman dictator]] [[Sulla|Lucius Cornelius Sulla]] wrote for himself,<ref name="Durant">{{cite book |last=Durant |first=Will |author-link=Will Durant|title=Heroes of History: A Brief History of Civilization from Ancient Times to the Dawn of the Modern Age |url=https://archive.org/details/heroesofhistoryb00dura |url-access=registration |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |location=New York |date=2001 |page=[https://archive.org/details/heroesofhistoryb00dura/page/131 131] |isbn=0-7432-2910-X}}</ref> in his open letter to all men within the division for their return to Iraq. This phrase later became widely publicized during the investigation into the conduct of Lieutenant [[Ilario Pantano]], a platoon commander serving under Mattis.<ref name="StarNewsOnline051228">{{cite news|url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051228/NEWS/51227016&SearchID=73247366207350|title=Top 10 Stories of 2005: Pantano, roads, Olchowski are 10–7|date=December 28, 2005|work=Star News Online|access-date=January 24, 2007|archive-date=March 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070327091342/http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051228/NEWS/51227016&SearchID=73247366207350|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Time050228">{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1032357-1,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050304012337/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1032357-1,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2005|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|title=Did He Go Too Far?|date=February 28, 2005|author=Quinn-Judge, Paul|access-date=January 24, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Msnbc060426">{{cite news|date=April 26, 2005|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7250029|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107192556/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7250029/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 7, 2014|title=Marine charged with murders of Iraqis: Lieutenant claims self-defense in shooting of detainees|publisher=[[NBC News]]|author=Phillips, Stone|access-date=January 24, 2007}}</ref><ref name="StarsAndStripes0511116">{{cite news|url=http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=33048|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104233646/http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=33048|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 4, 2013|title=Marine acquitted in Iraqi shootings will publish a book|first=Jeff|last=Schogol|work=[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]]|date=November 16, 2005|access-date=January 24, 2007}}</ref><ref name="NorthCountyTimes060701">{{cite news|url=http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/02/news/top_stories/22_22_057_1_06.txt|title=Pantano case has parallels to Hamdania incident|author=Walker, Mark|date=July 1, 2006|work=[[North County Times]]|access-date=January 24, 2007}}</ref>

==== Cultural sensitivity training ====
As his division prepared to ship out, Mattis called in "experts on the Middle East" for "cultural sensitivity training". He constantly toured the battlefield to tell stories of Marines who were able to show "discretion in moments of high pressure". As an apparent example, he encouraged his Marines to grow moustaches to look more like the people they were working with.<ref name="A Marine General at War">{{cite news|url-status=live |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/risk/2010/04/a_marine_general_at_war.html |title=A Marine General at War |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111121158/http://www.slate.com/articles/life/risk/2010/04/a_marine_general_at_war.html |archive-date=January 11, 2017 |first=John |last=Dickerson |work=Slate |date=April 22, 2010}}</ref>

==== Removal of senior leaders ====

He was also noted for a willingness to remove senior leaders under his command when the US military seemed unable or unwilling to relieve underperforming or incompetent officers. During the division's push to Baghdad, Mattis relieved Colonel Joe D. Dowdy, commander of [[1st Marine Regiment|Regimental Combat Team-1]]. It was such a rare occurrence in the modern military that it made the front page of newspapers. Despite this, Mattis declined to comment on the matter publicly other than to say that the practice of officer relief remains alive, or at least "we are doing it in the Marines."<ref name=RicksG /> Later interviews of Dowdy's officers and men revealed that "the colonel was doomed partly by an age-old wartime tension: Men versus mission—in which he favored his men," while Mattis insisted on execution of the mission to seize Baghdad swiftly.<ref name=WSJ_Cooper>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB108111980285073875|title=How a Marine Lost His Command In Race to Baghdad|author=Cooper, Christopher|date=April 5, 2004|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=August 12, 2015}}</ref>

=== Combat Development Command ===
After being promoted to [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]], Mattis took command of [[Marine Corps Combat Development Command]]. In February 2005, speaking at a forum in [[San Diego]], he said, "Actually it's quite fun to fight them, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling. You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."<ref>{{cite web |title=General: It's 'fun to shoot some people' |url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/03/general.shoot/ |publisher=CNN |access-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref> Mattis's remarks sparked controversy; General [[Michael Hagee]], [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|commandant of the Marine Corps]], issued a statement suggesting Mattis should have chosen his words more carefully, but he would not be disciplined.<ref name=AmericanSpectator>{{cite web |url=https://spectator.org/48978_breaking-warrior-code/ |title=Breaking the Warrior Code |author= Guardiano, John R. |work=[[The American Spectator]] |date=February 11, 2005 |access-date=January 28, 2017}}</ref>

=== US Joint Forces Command ===
[[File:From left, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Gen. James Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central 100901-N-TT977-147.jpg|thumb|Vice President [[Joe Biden]], Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]], Admiral [[Mike Mullen]] and General Mattis in Baghdad, Iraq, September 2010]]
[[The Pentagon]] announced on May 31, 2006, that Mattis had been chosen to take command of the [[I Marine Expeditionary Force]], based out of [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton]].<ref name = MCTimes>{{cite news|first=Christian |last=Lowe|title=Popular commander to lead I MEF|work=[[Marine Corps Times]]|page=24|date=June 12, 2006}}</ref> On September 11, 2007, Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]] announced that President [[George W. Bush]] had nominated Mattis for appointment to the rank of general to command [[United States Joint Forces Command|US Joint Forces Command]] (USJFCOM) in [[Norfolk, Virginia]]. NATO agreed to appoint Mattis as [[Allied Command Transformation|Supreme Allied Commander Transformation]] (SACT). On September 28, 2007, the [[United States Senate]] confirmed Mattis's nomination, and he relinquished command of the I MEF on November 5, 2007, to Lieutenant General Samuel Helland.<ref name="hall">{{cite web|title=Gen James N. Mattis|url=http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=405|publisher=Military Hall of Honor|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref>

Mattis was promoted to four-star general and took control of [[USJFCOM]]/[[SACT]] on November 9, 2007. On September 9, 2009, French Air Force General [[Stéphane Abrial]] assumed the position of SACT. Mattis remained commander of JFCOM from November 2007 until September 2010.<ref name="NATOawards" />

=== US Central Command ===
[[File:End of mission ceremony DVIDS500749.jpg|thumb|left|General [[Lloyd Austin]] and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph R. Allen greet Mattis as he arrives in Baghdad for the end-of-mission ceremony in December 2011.]]
In early 2010, Mattis was reported to be on the list of generals being considered to replace [[James T. Conway]] as the commandant of the US Marine Corps.<ref name="CMC">{{cite news|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/06/ap_CMC_062110/|title=Gates announces nomination of Amos for CMC|last=Gearan|first=Anne|date=June 22, 2010|agency=Associated Press|work=Marine Corps Times|access-date=July 8, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322203931/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/06/ap_CMC_062110/ |archive-date=March 22, 2012}}</ref> In July, he was recommended by [[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense Secretary]] [[Robert Gates]] for nomination to replace [[David Petraeus]] as commander of [[United States Central Command]] (CENTCOM),<ref name="SenateNom" /><ref name="MCT CENTCOM">{{cite news|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/07/military_mattis_centcom_070810w/|title=Pentagon picks Mattis to take over CENTCOM|last=Cavallaro|first=Gina|date=July 8, 2010|newspaper=Marine Corps Times|access-date=July 8, 2010|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712031949/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/07/military_mattis_centcom_070810w/|archive-date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> and formally nominated by President Obama on July 21.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/07/marine_mattis_centcom_072110w/|title=Obama backs Mattis nomination for CENTCOM|date=July 22, 2010|newspaper=Marine Corps Times|access-date=July 23, 2010|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117234339/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/07/marine_mattis_centcom_072110w/|archive-date=January 17, 2012}}</ref>

Mattis took command at a ceremony at [[MacDill Air Force Base]] on August 11.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/mattis-takes-over-central-command-vows-to-work-with-mideast-allies-in-afghanistan-iraq/|title=Mattis takes over Central Command, vows to work with Mideast allies in Afghanistan, Iraq|date=August 11, 2010|agency=Associated Press|publisher=[[Fox News]]|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/article1114800.ece|title=Mattis takes over as CentCom chief|last=Mitchell|first=Robbyn|date=August 12, 2010|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times|St. Petersburg Times]]|page=1|access-date=August 12, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012171654/http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1114800.ece|archive-date=October 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centcom.mil/news/mattis-assumes-command-of-centcom|title=Mattis assumes command of CENTCOM|date=August 11, 2010|publisher=US Central Command|access-date=August 12, 2010}}</ref> As head of Central Command, Mattis oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and was responsible for a region that includes [[Syria]], Iran, and Yemen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/11/syria-iran-mattis-central-command-chief-interview/2069935/|title=Mattis interview: Syria would fall without Iran's help|date=April 12, 2013|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=September 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011204715/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/11/syria-iran-mattis-central-command-chief-interview/2069935/|archive-date=October 11, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> He lobbied the Obama administration for a more aggressive response to Iran, including more covert operations and disruption of Iranian arms shipments to Syria and [[Yemen]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Why the chaos in Yemen could force Obama to take a harder line with Iran |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-sectarian-chaos-spreads-obamas-middle-east-policy-buckles/2015/03/28/f8cc8f56-d570-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=December 29, 2018 |date=March 28, 2015|first1=Greg |last1= Jaffe |first2=Missy |last2=Ryan}}</ref> After an incident in 2011 where an Iranian jet had attacked a U.S. drone flying over the [[Persian Gulf]] in international airspace, Mattis wanted permission to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that was attacking American drones, but the [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]] denied this request.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bergen |first1=Peter |title=The Cost of Chaos: The Trump Administration and the World |date=17 May 2022 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-593-65289-3 |pages=51–52 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9NgEAAAQBAJ&q=the+cost+of+chaos+peter+bergen |language=en}}</ref> According to [[Leon Panetta]], the Obama administration did not place much trust in Mattis because he was perceived as too eager for a military confrontation with [[Iran–United States relations|Iran]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Panetta|first=Leon|title=Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace|pages=Kindle Locations 6368–6370|publisher=[[Penguin Group]]|edition=Kindle}}</ref> Panetta later said, though, that some of the mistrust was unjustified, arising from the inexperience of some White House staff not understanding the need "to look at all of the options that a president should look at in order to make the right decisions." Nevertheless, Mattis's hawkishness was out of step with the White House's perspective, and "ultimately, Mattis's advocacy and aggressive style alienated the White House and the president he was serving."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-a-general-mattis-urged-action-against-iran-as-a-defense-secretary-he-may-be-a-voice-of-caution/2017/01/08/5a196ade-d391-11e6-a783-cd3fa950f2fd_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=December 29, 2018 |title=As a general, Mattis urged action against Iran. As a defense secretary, he may be a voice of caution.|date=January 8, 2017 |first1=Greg |last1=Jaffe |first2=Adam |last2=Entous}}</ref>

Mattis retired in March 2013, and the Defense Department nominated General [[Lloyd Austin]] to succeed him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/austin-will-be-nominated-to-lead-us-central-command-1.199642|title=Austin will be nominated to lead US Central Command|website=Stars and Stripes|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref> Sheikh Моhamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan asked Mattis to serve as a military advisor in the Yemen war conflict. During Mattis's tenure as the Secretary of Defense under [[Donald Trump|President Trump]], his consultation with the UАЕ was omitted from public record and financial disclosure. Mattis's relationship with the UАЕ was strong, featuring a speech in Аbu Dhаbi initially set to be compensated at $100,000 but later clarified as unpaid.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Whitlock |first1= Craig|last2=Jones |first2=Nate| date=2024-02-06 |title=Mattis secretly advised Arab monarch on Yemen war, records show |language=en |newspaper=The Washington Post |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2024/02/06/mattis-advised-uae-yemen-war/ |access-date=2024-02-14}}</ref>

== Civilian career ==

After retiring from the military, Mattis worked for FWA Consultants and served as a member of the [[General Dynamics]] Board of Directors.<ref name=FWA>{{cite web|url=http://fwaconsultants.homestead.com/MattisBio.html|title=About General James Mattis|publisher=FWA Consultants|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> Between 2013 and 2017, while on the board of [[General Dynamics]], Mattis made more than $900,000 in compensation, including company stock.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/donald-trump-pentagon-pick-mattis-made-nearly-1000000-board-defense-contractor|title=Donald Trump Pentagon Pick Mattis Made Nearly $1,000,000 On Board Of Defense Contractor|last=Asher-Schapiro|first=Avi|date=December 2, 2016|website=International Business Times|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref> In August 2013, he was appointed an Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the [[Hoover Institution]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoover.org/profiles/james-mattis|title=General James Mattis, Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow|publisher=Hoover Institution|access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> and in 2016 he was named the Davies Family Distinguished Visiting Fellow.<ref>{{cite web|title=General James Mattis|url=http://www.hoover.org/profiles/james-mattis|publisher=Hoover Institution|access-date=November 28, 2016}}</ref>

In December 2015, Mattis joined the [[advisory board]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mattis|first1=James|title=Why I'm Joining Spirit of America|date=December 9, 2015|url=https://spiritofamerica.org/blog/im-joining-spirit-america|publisher=Spirit of America|access-date=November 28, 2016}}</ref> of [[Spirit of America (charity)|Spirit of America]], a [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3) nonprofit organization]] that provides assistance to support the safety and success of American service personnel and the local people they seek to help.

He is co-editor of the book ''Warriors & Citizens: American Views of Our Military'', published in August 2016.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Mattis|editor1-first=James|editor2-last=Schake|editor2-first=Kori|editor2-link=Kori Schake|title=Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military|date=August 2016|publisher=[[Hoover Institution]]|location=Stanford, California|isbn=978-0-8179-1934-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1gpmDAAAQBAJ|access-date=November 28, 2016}}</ref>

From 2013 to January 2017, Mattis was a board member of [[Theranos]], a [[Health technology in the United States|health technology]] company that claimed to have devised revolutionary [[blood test]]s using very small amounts of blood, which was later determined to be a fraudulent claim by the [[US Securities and Exchange Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theranos, CEO Holmes, and Former President Balwani Charged With Massive Fraud|url=https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2018-41|access-date=August 23, 2020|publisher=Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Carreyrou|title=Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup|date=May 21, 2018|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-5247-3166-3}}{{page needed|date=December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Levine|first1=Matt|title=The Blood Unicorn Theranos Was Just a Fairy Tale|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-03-14/theranos-misled-investors-and-consumers-who-used-its-blood-test|access-date=March 14, 2018|work=Bloomberg View|date=March 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Weaver|first1=Christopher|title=Trump Defense Nominee James Mattis Resigns From Theranos Board|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defense-nominee-james-mattis-resigns-from-theranos-board-1483649696|access-date=January 28, 2017|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=January 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2014/06/12/theranos-board-directors/|title=A singular board at Theranos|date=June 12, 2014|work=Fortune|access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref> Previously, in mid-2012, a Department of Defense official evaluating Theranos's blood-testing technology for the military initiated a formal inquiry with the [[Food and Drug Administration]] about the company's intent to distribute its tests without [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]] clearance. In August 2012, Theranos CEO [[Elizabeth Holmes]] asked Mattis, who had expressed interest in testing Theranos's technology in combat areas, to help. Within hours, Mattis forwarded his email exchange with Holmes to military officials, asking "how do we overcome this new obstacle". In July 2013, the Department of Defense gave Mattis permission to join Theranos's board provided he did not represent Theranos with regard to the blood-testing device and its potential acquisition by the Departments of the Navy or Defense.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/02/internal-emails-reveal-concerns-about-theranoss-fda-compliance-date-back-years/ |title=E-mails reveal concerns about Theranos's FDA compliance date back years|date=December 2, 2015|first =Carolyn Y.|last= Johnson|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=December 26, 2015}}</ref>

In 2019, Mattis's book ''Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead'' was published.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/books/review/call-sign-chaos-jim-mattis-and-bing-west.html|title=Jim Mattis Tells His Life Story|first=Risa|last=Brooks|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 30, 2019}}</ref> It is an autobiography as well as an argument in favor of an [[Internationalism (politics)|internationalist]] foreign policy.<ref>Goldberg, Jeffrey.  [https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/10/james-mattis-trump/596665/ "Why Did James Mattis Resign ...."] ''The Atlantic''.  October 2019.  August 29, 2019.</ref> On August 7, 2019, Mattis was re-elected to the board of [[General Dynamics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gd.com/Articles/2019/08/07/general-dynamics-elects-jim-mattis-to-board-of-directors|title=General Dynamics Elects Jim Mattis to Board of Directors|publisher=General Dynamics |language=en|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref>

== Secretary of Defense (2017–2019) ==

=== Nomination and confirmation ===
[[File:President Donald J. Trump departs from the Pentagon alongside Secretary of Defense James Mattis on January 27, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (32181624010).jpg|thumb|right|Mattis with President [[Donald Trump|Trump]] and Vice President [[Mike Pence|Pence]]]]
President-elect [[Donald Trump]] met with Mattis for a little over one hour in [[Bedminster, New Jersey]], on November 20, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/19/politics/donald-trump-james-mattis-defense-secretary/index.html|title=Trump: 'Mad Dog' Mattis is a 'very impressive' candidate for defense secretary|date=November 20, 2016|first=Phil|last=Mattingly|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> He later wrote on [[Twitter]], "General James 'Mad Dog' Mattis, who is being considered for secretary of defense, was very impressive yesterday. A true General's General!"<ref>{{cite tweet  |user=realDonaldTrump |number=800332639844659201|title=General James "Mad Dog" Mattis, who is being considered for Secretary of Defense, was very impressive yesterday. A true General's General! |date=November 20, 2016|first=Donald J.|last=Trump |access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209233200/https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/800332639844659201|archive-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref> On December 1, 2016, Trump announced at a rally in Cincinnati that he would nominate Mattis for secretary of defense.<ref name=wp20161201>{{cite news|last=Lamothe |first=Dan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-has-chosen-retired-marine-gen-james-mattis-for-secretary-of-defense/2016/12/01/6c6b3b74-aff9-11e6-be1c-8cec35b1ad25_story.html |title=Trump has chosen retired Marine Gen. James Mattis for secretary of defense |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=December 1, 2016}}</ref>

The [[National Security Act of 1947]] requires a seven-year waiting period before retired military personnel can assume the role of secretary of defense; Mattis's nomination meant that it was the first time since 1950 (in that instance for [[George Marshall]]) that a waiver of the law was needed.<ref name=wp20161201 /><ref>{{cite news |last=Lamothe |first=Dan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/11/21/how-trump-naming-mattis-as-pentagon-chief-would-break-with-65-years-of-u-s-history/ |title=How Trump picking Mattis as Pentagon chief breaks with 65 years of U.S. history |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 1, 2016 |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref> The waiver for Mattis passed 81–17 in the Senate and 268–151 in the House. Mattis was subsequently confirmed as secretary of defense by a vote of 98–1 in the United States Senate on January 20, 2017.<ref name="WaPo confirmation">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/01/20/senate-confirms-retired-gen-james-mattis-as-defense-secretary-breaking-with-decades-of-precedent/ |title=Senate confirms retired Gen. James Mattis as defense secretary, breaking with decades of precedent |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> Senator [[Kirsten Gillibrand]] was the sole "no" vote,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-confirms-james-mattis-as-defense-secretary-1484952996?mod=e2tw|title=Senate Confirms James Mattis as Defense Secretary |last1=Peterson |first1=Kristina |last2=Hughes |first2=Siobhan  |date=January 20, 2017 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> stating that she was opposed to the waiver on principle,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/kirsten-gillibrand-mattis-waiver-232099 |title=Gillibrand says she won't vote for Mattis waiver |last=Schor |first=Elana |date=January 20, 2017 |work=[[Politico]] |quote=While I deeply respect General Mattis's service, I will oppose a waiver. Civilian control of our military is a fundamental principle of American democracy, and I will not vote for an exception to this rule.|access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> though she would vote to confirm [[Lloyd Austin]] for the same position in 2021, having only been out of the Army since 2016.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00005.htm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00005 | title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 1st Session }}</ref>

=== Tenure ===
[[File:Jim Mattis with Sauli Niinistö - 171106-D-GY869-069 (37501656824).jpg|thumb|Mattis with Finnish president [[Sauli Niinistö]] in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]], in November 2017]]
[[File:Secretary of Defense James Mattis meets with Turkish Minister of National Defense Fikri Isik at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, February 15, 2017 (32797443121).jpg|thumb|Mattis and Turkish Defense Minister [[Fikri Işık]] at NATO headquarters in Brussels, February 2017]]
[[File:James Mattis with Joko Widodo in Jakarta - 2018 (25978997278).jpg|thumb|Mattis with Indonesian president [[Joko Widodo]] during a visit to [[Jakarta|Jakarta, Indonesia]], in January 2018.]]
[[File:Kunjungan Menteri Pertahanan AS James N. Mattis ke Indonesia (39870901031) (Ryamizard Ryacudu, Iroth Sonny Edhie, Jim Mattis).jpg|thumb|Mattis with Indonesian Defense Minister [[Ryamizard Ryacudu]] and interpreter [[Iroth Sonny Edhie]].]]
In a January 2017 phone call with [[Saudi Arabia]]'s deputy crown prince [[Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud|Mohammed bin Salman]], Mattis "reaffirmed the importance of the [[Saudi Arabia–United States relations|US–Saudi Arabia strategic relationship]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/1066487/readout-of-secretary-mattis-call-with-kingdom-of-saudi-arabias-deputy-crown-pri/ |title=Readout of Secretary Mattis' Call with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201043709/https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1066487/readout-of-secretary-mattis-call-with-kingdom-of-saudi-arabias-deputy-crown-pri |archive-date=February 1, 2017 |publisher=US Department of Defense |url-status=live |date=January 31, 2017}}</ref>

For his first official trip abroad, Mattis began a two-day visit with longtime US ally [[South Korea]] on February 2, 2017.<ref name="nytimes.com" /> He warned [[North Korea]] that "any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated", and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with an "effective and overwhelming" response from the United States.<ref name="aljazeera.com" /> During a press conference in [[London]] on March 31, 2017, with the British [[Secretary of State for Defence|secretary of state for defence]], [[Michael Fallon]], Mattis said North Korea was behaving "in a very reckless manner" and must be stopped.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/defense-sec-james-mattis-north-korea-has-got-be-stopped-n740966|title=Defense Sec. James Mattis: North Korea 'Has Got to Be Stopped'|date=March 31, 2017|publisher=NBC News|access-date=December 28, 2018 |first1=Alexander |last1=Smith |first2=Gabe|last2= Joselow }}</ref> During a Pentagon news conference on May 26, Mattis reported the US was working with the UN, China, Japan, and South Korea to avoid "a military solution" with North Korea.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-military-solution-north-korea-would-be-tragic-2017-5|title=James Mattis says a military solution in North Korea will 'be tragic on an unbelievable scale'|date=May 26, 2017|work=Business Insider}}</ref> On June 3, Mattis said the United States regarded North Korea as "clear and present danger" during a speech at the international security conference in [[Singapore]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/defense-secretary-mattis-turns-up-heat-on-north-korea-and-china/|title=Defense Secretary Mattis turns up heat on North Korea and China|date=June 3, 2017|publisher=CBS News|agency=Reuters |first1=Phil |last1=Stewart |first2=David|last2= Brunnstrom }}</ref> In a June 12 written statement to the [[House Armed Services Committee]] Mattis said North Korea was the "most urgent and dangerous threat to peace and security".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-idUSKBN19407I|title=North Korea 'most urgent' threat to security: Mattis|first1=Idrees|last1=Ali |first2=Mike|last2=Stone|publisher=Reuters|date=June 13, 2017}}</ref> On June 15, Mattis said the US would win a war against North Korea, but "at great cost".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-north-korea-war-we-will-win-2017-6|title=Defense Secretary Mattis explains what war with North Korea would look like|date=June 16, 2017|first=Alex|last=Lockie|work=Business Insider}}</ref>

On March 22, 2017, during questioning from the US Senate, Mattis affirmed his support for US troops remaining in Iraq after the [[Battle of Mosul (2016–2017)|Battle of Mosul]] was concluded.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/mattis-troops-iraq-years-after-isis |title=Mattis: Expect U.S. troops in Iraq even after ISIS falls|date=March 22, 2017|work=Military Times|first=Leo|last=Shane III}}</ref> Mattis responded to critics who suggested the Trump administration had loosened the [[rules of engagement]] for the [[Operation Inherent Resolve|US military in Iraq]] after US-led coalition [[2017 Mosul airstrike|airstrikes in Mosul]] killed civilians,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-mosul-usa-idUSKBN16Y2BA |title=After civilians killed in Mosul, Pentagon denies loosening rules |date=March 27, 2017|publisher=Reuters}}</ref> saying, "We go out of our way to always do everything humanly possible to reduce the loss of life or injury among innocent people."<ref>{{cite news |url= https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/11/civilian-casualties-are-up-and-congress-is-awol/|title=Civilian casualties are up and Congress is AWOL |date=April 11, 2017 |work=[[Foreign Policy]] |access-date= December 31, 2018 |first=Micah |last= Zenko}}</ref> According to ''[[Airwars]]'', the US-led coalition killed as many as 6,000 civilians in Iraq and Syria in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/civilian-deaths-tripled-in-us-led-campaign-during-2017-watchdog-alleges/2018/01/18/ccfae298-fc6d-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html |title=Civilian deaths tripled in U.S.-led campaign against ISIS in 2017, watchdog alleges |url-status=live |first=Missy |last=Ryan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430183007/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/civilian-deaths-tripled-in-us-led-campaign-during-2017-watchdog-alleges/2018/01/18/ccfae298-fc6d-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html |archive-date=April 30, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 18, 2018}}</ref>
[[File:SD visits Australia 170605-D-GY869-1426 (34320481913).jpg|thumb|Mattis and Australian Minister for Defense [[Marise Payne]] visiting Victoria Barracks in [[Sydney]], Australia, June 2017.]]
On April 5, 2017, Mattis called the [[Khan Shaykhun chemical attack]] "a heinous act", and said it would be treated accordingly.<ref>{{cite news|first=Carlos |last=Muñoz |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/apr/5/mattis-condemns-heinous-chemical-attack-syria/|title=Defense Secretary Mattis condemns 'heinous' chemical attack in Syria, DoD mulls response|date=April 5, 2017|work=Washington Times}}</ref> On April 10, Mattis warned the Syrian government against using [[Chemical warfare|chemical weapons]] again.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Statement by Secretary of Defense James Mattis on the U.S. Military Response to the Syrian Government's Use of Chemical Weapons|url=https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/1146758/statement-by-secretary-of-defense-jim-mattis-on-the-us-military-response-to-the/|publisher=United States Department of Defense|date=April 10, 2017}}</ref> The following day, Mattis gave his first Pentagon news conference since becoming secretary of defense, saying [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]]'s defeat remained "our priority", and the Syrian government would pay a "very, very stiff price" for further usage of chemical weapons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/mattis-syria-policy-defeat-isis-237122|title=Mattis: U.S. Syria policy is still to defeat ISIS|first=Jacqueline|last=Klimas|date=April 11, 2017|work=Politico}}</ref> On April 21 Mattis said Syria still had chemical weapons and was in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-defense-secy-mattis-syria-chemical-weapons-46931091|title=US Defense Sec'y Mattis: Syria still has chemical weapons|first=Robert|last=Burns|publisher=ABC News|date=April 21, 2017|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421221230/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-defense-secy-mattis-syria-chemical-weapons-46931091|archive-date=April 21, 2017}}</ref> According to investigative journalist [[Bob Woodward]], Trump ordered Mattis to assassinate Assad, but Mattis refused.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump wanted Syria's Assad assassinated, Bob Woodward claims in extraordinary new book |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-bob-woodward-fear-book-syria-assad-kill-claims-a8523176.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-bob-woodward-fear-book-syria-assad-kill-claims-a8523176.html |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=April 9, 2018}}</ref> On May 8 Mattis told reporters details of the proposed Syrian safe zones were "all in process right now" and the United States was involved with configuring them.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/332366-mattis-questions-unanswered-on-syria-cease-fire-plan/|title=Mattis: Questions unanswered on Syria cease-fire plan|first=Ellen|last=Mitchell|date=May 8, 2017|work=The Hill}}</ref>

Mattis voiced support for a [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|Saudi Arabian-led military campaign]] against [[Yemen]]'s [[Zaidiyyah|Shiite]] rebels.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/03/26/pentagon-weighs-more-support-for-saudi-led-war-in-yemen/ |title=Pentagon Weighs More Support for Saudi-led War in Yemen |date=March 26, 2017|work=[[Foreign Policy]]}}</ref> He asked Trump to remove restrictions on US military support for Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-weighs-deeper-involvement-in-yemen-war/2017/03/26/b81eecd8-0e49-11e7-9d5a-a83e627dc120_story.html |title=Trump administration weighs deeper involvement in Yemen war |date=March 26, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|first1=Karen |last1=DeYoung |first2=Missy|last2=Ryan}}</ref>

On April 20, 2017, one week after the [[2017 Nangarhar airstrike|Nangarhar airstrike]], Mattis told reporters that the US would not conduct a damage assessment "in terms of the number of people killed" in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/20/jim-mattis-mother-of-all-bombs-afghanistan-damage-237413|title=Mattis: U.S. won't dig into 'mother of all bombs' damage in Afghanistan|first=Jacqueline|last=Klimas|date=April 20, 2017|work=Politico}}</ref> Mattis traveled to Afghanistan days later and met with government officials, explaining that the purpose of the trip was to allow him to state his recommendations for US strategy in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/24/politics/mattis-afghanistan-visit/ |title=US Defense Secretary Mattis visits Afghanistan|first1=Susannah|last1=Cullinane|first2=Ryan|last2=Browne |publisher=CNN|date=March 27, 2017}}</ref> On June 13, Mattis said US forces were "not winning" in Afghanistan and the administration would develop a new strategy by "mid-July" while speaking to the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/13/jim-mattis-not-winning-afghanistan-239488|title=Mattis: 'We are not winning in Afghanistan'|first=Connor|last=O'Brien|date=June 13, 2017|work=Politico}}</ref> On June 29, Mattis said the Obama administration "may have pulled our troops out too rapidly" and that he intended to submit a new Afghanistan strategy to Trump upon his return to Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mattis-says-us-may-have-pulled-our-troops-out-too-rapidly-in-afghanistan|title=Mattis says US 'may have pulled our troops out too rapidly' in Afghanistan|date=June 29, 2017|publisher=Fox News}}</ref>

The United States has been openly arming the [[Syrian Democratic Forces|Syrian Kurdish]] fighters in the war against [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]] since May 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/turkey-joins-syria-chaos-us-tries-find-someone-hold-peace-kurds-786828 |title=Turkish Forces Bomb Key U.S. Ally In Fight Against ISIS In Syria |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215025525/http://www.newsweek.com/turkey-joins-syria-chaos-us-tries-find-someone-hold-peace-kurds-786828 |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |work=[[Newsweek]] |date=January 22, 2018 |first=Zachary |last=Fryer-Biggs}}</ref> Following the start of the [[Operation Olive Branch|Turkish invasion of northern Syria]] aimed at ousting US-backed Syrian Kurds from the enclave of [[Afrin, Syria|Afrin]], Mattis said in January 2018: "Turkey is a NATO ally. It's the only NATO country with an active insurgency inside its borders. And Turkey has legitimate security concerns."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-has-legitimate-security-concerns-mattis-126090 |title= Turkey has legitimate security concerns: Mattis |agency=Anadolu Agency |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215083638/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-has-legitimate-security-concerns-mattis-126090 |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |work= [[Hürriyet Daily News]] |date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> Turkish Deputy Prime Minister [[Bekir Bozdağ]] urged the United States to halt its support for Kurdish [[People's Protection Units|YPG]] fighters, saying: "Those who support the terrorist organization will become a target in this battle."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/turkey-stop-ypg-support-face-confrontation-180125182540759.html|title=Turkey to US: Stop YPG support or face 'confrontation' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213150333/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/01/turkey-stop-ypg-support-face-confrontation-180125182540759.html |archive-date=February 13, 2018 |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=January 25, 2018}}</ref>

On April 13, 2018, Mattis briefed reporters in a press conference at the Pentagon on the [[2018 missile strikes against Syria]] being carried out against the Assad regime's chemical weapon compounds, saying, "Tonight, France, the United Kingdom and the United States took decisive action to strike the Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure. Clearly the Assad regime did not get the message last year. This time our allies and we have struck harder. Together we have sent a clear message to Assad and his murderous lieutenants that they should not perpetrate another chemical weapons attack for which they will be held accountable".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/1493658/briefing-by-secretary-mattis-on-us-strikes-in-syria/|title=Briefing by Secretary Mattis on U.S. Strikes in Syria|publisher=Department of Defense |date=April 13, 2018|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref>

In November 2018, the [[CIA]] assessed with "high confidence" that [[Saudi Arabia]]'s Crown Prince [[Mohammad bin Salman]] ordered the assassination of [[The Washington Post|''Washington Post'']] columnist [[Jamal Khashoggi]].<ref>{{cite web |title=White House Digs Itself in Deeper on Khashoggi |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/04/white-house-digs-itself-in-deeper-on-khashoggi-trump-refuses-to-address-murder-journalist-saudi-arabia-anger-congress-mohammed-bin-salman-complicit-war-in-yemen-humanitarian-disaster-gina-haspel/ |work=[[Foreign Policy]] |date=December 4, 2018|first1=Michael |last1=Hirsh |first2=Robbie |last2=Gramer}}</ref> Under mounting pressure from lawmakers who wanted action against Saudi Arabia, Mattis and Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]], in a rare closed briefing of the Senate, disputed the CIA's conclusion and declared there was no direct evidence linking the crown prince to Khashoggi's assassination.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trump administration defends close Saudi ties as Senate moves to end US support for Yemen war |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/28/us-cabinet-members-defend-close-saudi-ties-lawmakers-unconvinced.html |publisher=CNBC |date=November 28, 2018}}</ref>

Wherever Mattis traveled overseas, he brought the [[Defense Security Cooperation Agency]] director (the official in charge of weapon sales to foreign governments), according to Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, speaking at the Brookings Institution in June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=June 4, 2019|title=How Security Cooperation Advanced US Interests|url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2019/06/11/advancing-u-s-interests-through-security-cooperation/|access-date=February 18, 2021|publisher=Brookings Institution}}</ref>

===Conflicts with Trump and resignation===
[[File:Resignation-Letter-From-Secretary-James-N-Mattis.pdf|thumb|Mattis's resignation letter]]
Mattis had recommended General [[David L. Goldfein]], [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|Air Force Chief of Staff]], to succeed retiring General [[Joseph Dunford]] as [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] in September 2018. Instead, Trump chose General [[Mark Milley]], [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|Army Chief of Staff]], whom Mattis had recommended for the position of [[Supreme Allied Commander Europe]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hirsh |first=Michael |date=December 20, 2018 |title=Mattis Quits Over Differences With Trump|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/20/mattis-quits-over-differences-with-trump-defense-secretary/|access-date=November 11, 2021 |work=[[Foreign Policy]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lamothe |first=Dan |title=Gen. David Goldfein, bypassed to be Trump's top military adviser, retires |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/gen-david-goldfein-bypassed-to-be-trumps-top-military-adviser-retires/2020/08/05/4ac0568a-d363-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=August 5, 2020 |access-date=August 6, 2020}}</ref>

On December 19, 2018, Trump announced immediate [[American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War|US withdrawal from Syria]], over his national security advisers' objections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/20/623246756/defense-secretary-mattis-to-retire-in-february-trump-says|title=Defense Secretary Mattis To Retire In February, Trump Says, Amid Syria Tension|publisher=NPR|date=December 20, 2018|access-date=December 20, 2018|last1=Ewing|first1=Philip}}</ref> Mattis had recently said that the US would remain in Syria after ISIL's defeat to ensure it did not regroup. The next day, he submitted his resignation after failing to persuade Trump to reconsider.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/19/678150756/reports-white-house-intends-to-pull-u-s-troops-from-syria|title=White House Orders Pentagon To Pull U.S. Troops From Syria|publisher=NPR|date=December 19, 2018|access-date=December 20, 2018 |quote= The troop withdrawal is a reversal of policy discussed as recently as this month by Mattis, who said that after the defeat of ISIS, U.S. forces would remain in Syria to prevent a resurgence of the terrorist group and to counteract Iran.|last1=Wamsley|first1=Laurel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/us/politics/jim-mattis-defense-secretary-trump.html|title=Jim Mattis Resigns, Rebuking Trump's Worldview|first=Helene |last=Cooper|date=December 20, 2018|access-date=December 20, 2018|work=The New York Times}}</ref> His resignation letter contained language that appeared to criticize Trump's worldview—praising NATO, which Trump has often derided, and the 79-nation anti-ISIS coalition that Trump had decided to leave. Mattis also affirmed the need for "treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors" and remaining "resolute and unambiguous" against authoritarian states such as China and Russia. He wrote that Trump has "the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with [his] on these and other subjects."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/us/politics/jim-mattis-defense-secretary-trump.html|title=Jim Mattis, Defense Secretary, Resigns in Rebuke of Trump's Worldview|first=Helene|last=Cooper|date=December 8, 2018|access-date=December 21, 2018|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/a-sad-day-for-america-washington-fears-a-trump-unchecked-by-mattis/2018/12/20/faef8da0-04ac-11e9-b6a9-0aa5c2fcc9e4_story.html|title='A sad day for America': Washington fears a Trump unchecked by Mattis|first1=Greg|last1=Jaffe|first2=Karoun|last2=Demirjian|date=December 20, 2018|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> His resignation triggered alarm among historical allies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://on.ft.com/2Cuv6tY|title= Mattis Resignation Spreads Alarm in Washington and Abroad|first=Demetri|last=Sevastopulo|date=December 21, 2018|access-date=December 23, 2018|work=Financial Times}}</ref> In his 2018 resignation letter, Mattis called both Russia and China "authoritarian models" rivaling US interests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46644841|title=James Mattis' resignation letter in full|publisher=BBC News|date=December 21, 2018}}</ref> Mattis's letter said his resignation would be effective February 28, 2019.<ref name="nyt20181220">{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Helene |work=The New York Times |title=Jim Mattis, Marine General Turned Defense Secretary, Will Leave Pentagon in February |date=December 20, 2018 |access-date=December 20, 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/us/politics/jim-mattis-defense-secretary-trump.html}}</ref> Three days later Trump moved Mattis's departure date up to January 1, after becoming angered by the implicit criticism of Trump's worldview in Mattis's letter.<ref name="angry">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/23/us/politics/trump-mattis.html|title=Trump, Angry Over Mattis's Rebuke, Removes Him 2 Months Early|first=Helene|last=Cooper|date=December 23, 2018|access-date=December 23, 2018|work =The New York Times}}</ref> On January 2, 2019, Trump criticized Mattis's performance as secretary of defense and said he had "essentially fired him".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/politics/trump-mattis-defense-secretary-generals.html|title=Trump Says Mattis Resignation Was 'Essentially' a Firing, Escalating His New Front Against Military Critics|first=Maggie|last=Haberman|date=January 2, 2019|newspaper =New York Times |access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref>

[[John F. Kelly]], Trump's chief of staff when Mattis left his position, denied that Trump fired Mattis or asked for his resignation. He said Trump must be confused or mistaken, and that "Jim Mattis is an honorable man".<ref name="by CBSNEWSDareh">{{Cite news|last1= Gregorian|first1= Dareh |last2= Hunt|first2= Kasie|last3= Tsirkin|first3= Julie|date=June 5, 2020|title='Stunning,' 'powerful,' 'overdue': Romney, Murkowski praise Mattis' stinging Trump rebuke |publisher=CBS News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/stunning-powerful-overdue-romney-murkowski-praise-mattis-stinging-trump-rebuke-n1224951|access-date=June 10, 2020}}</ref>  Mattis returned to his post as Davies Family Distinguished Fellow at the [[Hoover Institution]].<ref>See "Former Secretary Of Defense, General Jim Mattis, US Marine Corps (Ret.), Returns To The Hoover Institution At Stanford University" [https://www.hoover.org/press-releases/former-secretary-defense-general-jim-mattis-us-marine-corps-ret-returns-hoover online press release March 19, 2019].</ref>

===Post-tenure===
After leaving the White House, Mattis initially declined to offer his opinion of the Trump administration, saying, "If you leave an administration, you owe some silence,"<ref>{{Cite web|first=Zachary |last=Cohen|title=How James Mattis and Donald Trump's relationship has changed since the Secretary of Defense left his post|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/politics/james-mattis-duty-of-silence/index.html|access-date=June 4, 2020|publisher=CNN|date=August 29, 2019}}</ref> and was guarded when asked to reflect on Trump or military matters, saying he didn't want to detract from the troops.<ref name="Martin2020">{{Cite news|last=Martin|first=Jeffery|date=June 4, 2020|title=Esper Flipflops and Leaves Troops in DC as Trump Spars With Mattis|work=Newsweek|url=https://www.newsweek.com/esper-flipflops-leaves-troops-dc-trump-spars-mattis-1508573|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> He changed his position after becoming "angry and appalled" about the events leading up to the violent treatment of noncombative protesters near the White House on June 1, 2020, for the purpose of a photo op for Trump at the church across Lafayette Square.<ref name="Starr/LeBlank"/> Trump responded by Twitter that evening that he "felt great" he had previously asked Mattis to resign, and he didn't like much about Mattis or his "leadership style" and was "Glad he is gone!"<ref name="Martin2020"/>

In 2019, Mattis joined The Cohen Group as senior counsel.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Klar | first1=Rebecca | title=Mattis joining Cohen Group as senior counselor | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/460446-mattis-joining-cohen-group-as-senior-counselor/ | date=September 8, 2019 | work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] | access-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Sisk | first1=Richard | title=Mattis Joins Advisory Group Run by Former Defense Secretary | url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/09/09/mattis-joins-advisory-group-run-former-defense-secretary.html | date=September 9, 2019 | work=[[Military.com]] | access-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Scarborough | first1=Rowan | title=Mattis failed to disclose role with global consultant tied to China in bombshell column | url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/nov/25/james-mattis-failed-disclose-his-role-consultant-t/ | date=November 25, 2020 | work=[[The Washington Times]] | access-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref>

Mattis, along with all other living former secretaries of defense, ten in total, published a ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' op-ed piece in January 2021 telling President Trump not to involve the military in determining the outcome of the 2020 elections.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/former-defense-secretaries-rebuke-trump-election/2021/01/03/1c708f64-4de5-11eb-b2e8-3339e73d9da2_story.html|title=All 10 living former defense secretaries: Involving the military in election disputes would cross into dangerous territory|access-date=January 3, 2021|date=January 3, 2021|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Al Smith Dinner comments ====
At the October 17, 2019, [[Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner]], Mattis, the keynote speaker, responded to comments Trump had made about him, saying,
<blockquote>
I'm not just an overrated general, I am the greatest, the world's most overrated{{nbsp}}... I'm honored to be considered that by Donald Trump, because he also called [[Meryl Streep]] an overrated actress. So I guess I'm the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly, that sounds pretty good to me. And you do have to admit that between me and Meryl, at least we've had some victories.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jim-mattis-slams-donald-trump-during-speech-al-smith-dinner-2019-10-18 |publisher=CBS News |title=Jim Mattis fires back at President Trump for "overrated" insult |first=Grace |last=Segers |date=October 18, 2019}}</ref>
</blockquote>
He continued, "I've earned my spurs on the battlefield{{nbsp}}... Donald Trump earned his spurs in a letter from a doctor."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nytimes.com/2019/10/18/us/mattis-trump.html |work=The New York Times |title=Mattis Mocks Trump's Bone Spurs and Love of Fast Food |first=Christine |last=Hauser |date=October 17, 2019}}</ref>

== Political positions ==
Mattis claimed he has "never registered for any political party". He also claimed that as a member of the U.S. military, he was "proudly apolitical".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Macias |first1=Amanda |title=Defense Secretary Mattis: 'I've never registered for any political party' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/16/defense-secretary-mattis-never-registered-for-any-political-party.html |publisher=CNBC |access-date=February 15, 2021 |language=en |date=October 16, 2018}}</ref>

Mattis said in 2020 that Donald Trump is "the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us." After the [[January 6 attack]], Mattis said Trump used the presidency to "destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens." In 2024, after former chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] [[Mark Milley]] called Trump "fascist to the core" and "the most dangerous person ever", author [[Bob Woodward]] said Mattis had emailed him to second Milley's assessment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Tim |title=Mattis Told Woodward He Agreed Trump Was a Uniquely Dangerous Threat |url=https://www.thebulwark.com/p/mattis-told-woodward-he-agreed-trump |work=[[The Bulwark (website)|The Bulwark]] |date=October 17, 2024}}</ref>

=== Israeli–Palestinian peace process ===
Mattis supports a [[two-state solution]] model for [[Israeli–Palestinian peace process|Israeli–Palestinian peace]]. He has said the situation in Israel is "unsustainable" and that [[Israeli settlement]]s harm prospects for peace and could lead to an apartheid-like situation in the [[West Bank]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-top-pentagon-pick-said-settlements-were-creating-apartheid/ |title= Trump's top Pentagon pick said settlements were creating 'apartheid' |work=The Times of Israel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122180032/http://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-top-pentagon-pick-said-settlements-were-creating-apartheid |archive-date=November 22, 2016 |first=Eric |last=Cortellessa |date=November 20, 2016}}</ref> In particular, he has said that the perception of biased American support for Israel has made it difficult for moderate Arabs to show support for the United States. Mattis strongly supported Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] on the Middle East peace process, praising Kerry for being "wisely focused like a laser beam" on a two-state solution.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-us-general-we-pay-a-price-for-backing-israel |title =Ex-US general: We pay a price for backing Israel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120155623/http://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-us-general-we-pay-a-price-for-backing-israel |archive-date=November 20, 2016 |first=Lazar |last=Berman |date=July 25, 2013 |work=The Times of Israel|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Iran and Middle Eastern allies ===
[[File:SD meets with Egypt's President 170405-D-SV709-331 (33705568522).jpg|thumb|Mattis and Egyptian President [[Abdel Fattah el-Sisi]] in April 2017]]
Mattis believes [[Iran]] is the principal threat to the stability of the Middle East, ahead of [[Al-Qaeda]] and [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]]. Mattis says: "I consider ISIS nothing more than an excuse for Iran to continue its mischief. Iran is not an enemy of ISIS. They have a lot to gain from the turmoil in the region that ISIS creates." Mattis sees the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|Iran nuclear deal]] as a poor agreement, but believes there is now no way to tear it up, saying: "We are just going to have to recognize that we have an imperfect arms control agreement. Second, that what we achieved is a nuclear pause, not a nuclear halt". Mattis argues that inspections may fail to prevent Iran from seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but that "[i]f nothing else at least we will have better-targeting data if it comes to a fight in the future."<ref name="Washington Examiner" /> Additionally, he criticized Obama for being "naive" about Iranian intentions and Congress for being "pretty much absent" on the nuclear deal.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shane III|first1=Leo|title=General Mattis wants Iran to be a top focus for the next president (whoever it is)|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/04/22/mattis-csis-speech-iran/83397134/ |access-date=December 2, 2016|date=April 22, 2016|work=[[Sightline Media Group|Military Times]]}}</ref>

[[File:Defense Secretary James Mattis & Deputy Crown Price of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., March 16, 2017 (33323866082).jpg|thumb|Mattis with [[Saudi Arabia]]'s prince [[Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud|Mohammad]] in March 2017]]
Mattis praises the friendship of regional US allies such as [[Jordan]], [[Israel]], and the [[United Arab Emirates]].<ref name="defense.gov1">{{cite news|last1=Cronk|first1=Terri Moon|title=Mattis Praises America's Security Partnership With Israel
|url=https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/1159485/mattis-praises-americas-security-partnership-with-israel/ |access-date=August 19, 2018|date=April 21, 2017}}</ref><ref name="defense.gov2">{{cite news|last1=Cronk|first1=Terri Moon|title=Mattis, Israeli Counterpart Discuss Mutual Security Concerns|url=https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/1504866/mattis-israeli-counterpart-discuss-mutual-security-concerns/
|access-date=August 19, 2018|date=April 26, 2018}}</ref><ref name="military.com">{{cite news|last1=Seck|first1=Hope Hodge|title=Mattis: 'I Don't Understand' Speculation about Presidential Run|url=http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/04/22/mattis-i-dont-understand-speculation-about-presidential-run.html|access-date=December 2, 2016|work=military.com|date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> He also criticized Obama for seeing allies as "freeloading", saying: "For a sitting US President to see our allies as freeloaders is nuts."<ref name="military.com" /> He has cited the importance of the United Arab Emirates and Jordan as countries that wanted to help, for example, in filling in the gaps in Afghanistan. He criticized Obama's defense strategy as giving "the perception we're pulling back" from US allies.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Grady|first1=John|title=Mattis: U.S. Suffering 'Strategic Atrophy'|url=https://news.usni.org/2015/05/14/mattis-u-s-suffering-strategic-atrophy|access-date=December 2, 2016|work=USNI News|publisher=US Naval Institute|date=May 14, 2015}}</ref> He stresses the need for the US to bolster its ties with allied intelligence agencies, particularly those of Jordan, [[Egypt]] and [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Muñoz|first1=Carlo|title=James Mattis, retired Marine general, says Iran nuclear deal 'fell short'|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/22/james-mattis-retired-marine-general-says-iran-nucl/|access-date=December 2, 2016|work=The Washington Times|date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> In 2012, Mattis argued for providing weapons to [[List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War|Syrian rebels]] as a way to fight back against [[Iranian involvement in the Syrian Civil War|Iranian proxies in Syria]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ackerman|first1=Spencer|title=Military's Mideast Chief Sounds Ready to Aid Syria's Rebels|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/03/mattis-syria|access-date=December 2, 2016|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=March 6, 2012}}</ref>

=== Japan ===
Mattis visited [[Japan]] one week after being sworn in as secretary of defense. During a meeting with [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] [[Shinzō Abe]], Mattis emphasized that the US remains [[Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States and Japan|committed to the mutual defense of Japan]] and stated, "I want there to be no misunderstanding during the transition in Washington that we stand firmly, 100 percent, shoulder to shoulder with you and the Japanese people."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gordon|first1=Michael R.|last2=Rich|first2=Motoko|title=James Mattis Says U.S. Is 'Shoulder to Shoulder' With Japan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/03/world/asia/us-japan-mattis-abe-defense.html |access-date=February 8, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=February 3, 2017}}</ref> He also reassured Japan that the US would defend the disputed [[Senkaku Islands dispute|Senkaku Islands]] controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/china-usa-japan-senkaku-islands-dispute-stability-security-region-james-mattis-donald-trump-a7562491.html |title=China accuses US of putting regional stability at risk over backing of Japan in island dispute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926143120/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/china-usa-japan-senkaku-islands-dispute-stability-security-region-james-mattis-donald-trump-a7562491.html |archive-date=September 26, 2017 |work=The Independent |date=February 4, 2017|first=Rebecca |last=Flood}}</ref>

=== Russia ===
Speaking at a 2015 conference sponsored by [[The Heritage Foundation]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], Mattis said he believed that [[President of Russia|Russian President]] [[Vladimir Putin]]'s intent is "to break NATO apart".<ref>{{cite news |agency=Reuters|url=http://www.unian.info/world/1632767-general-stating-russian-aggression-in-ukraine-much-more-severe-than-ustreats-it-may-become-defense-secretary.html |title=General stating Russian aggression in Ukraine "much more severe" than U.S. treats it may become Defense Secretary |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206030025/http://www.unian.info/world/1632767-general-stating-russian-aggression-in-ukraine-much-more-severe-than-ustreats-it-may-become-defense-secretary.html |archive-date=December 6, 2016 |publisher=[[UNIAN]] |date=November 19, 2016}}</ref> Mattis has also spoken out against what he perceives as Russia's expansionist or bellicose policies in [[Russian military intervention in Syria|Syria]], [[Russian military intervention in Ukraine (2014–present)|Ukraine]] and the [[Baltic states]].<ref>{{cite news |url-status=live|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/01/us/politics/james-mattis-secrtary-of-defense-trump.html |title=James Mattis, Outspoken Retired Marine, Is Trump's Choice as Defense Secretary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301210650/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/01/us/politics/james-mattis-secrtary-of-defense-trump.html |archive-date=March 1, 2017 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 1, 2016 |first1=Michael R. |last1 =Gordon |first2=Eric |last2=Schmitt}}</ref> In 2017, Mattis said that the world order is "under the biggest attack since World War II, ... and that is from Russia, from terrorist groups, and with what China is doing in the [[South China Sea]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/17-03_01-12-17.pdf |title=Stenographic Transcript Before the Committee on Armed Services United States Senate to Conduct a Confirmation Hearing On The Expected Nomination Of Mr. James N. Mattis To Be Secretary Of Defense |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= January 12, 2017 |publisher=Senate Armed Services Committee |access-date=June 10, 2022 |quote=}}</ref>

On February 16, 2017, Mattis said the United States was not currently prepared to collaborate with Russia on military matters, including future anti-[[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL]] US operations.<ref name="baldor" /> In August 2017, he said: "Despite Russia's denials, we know they are seeking to redraw international borders by force, undermining the sovereign and free nations of Europe".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/russia-lies-about-not-wanting-redraw-map-europe-force-mattis-tells-ukraine-655034|title=James Mattis says Russia wants to use violence to redraw the borders of Europe|website=[[Newsweek]]|date=August 25, 2017|access-date=July 25, 2022}}</ref>

On July 1, 2022, he described the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]] as "immoral, the tactically incompetent, operationally stupid and strategically foolish effort". He added that [[Vladimir Putin]] "probably thought that the Ukrainian people were going to welcome him."<ref>{{cite news |title="We're watching Russia wither before our eyes," former US defense chief says |url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-07-01-22#h_09d4a6957395ffe9b39942789b9f5bef |publisher=CNN |date=July 1, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis Host the U.S.-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue With Chinese State Councilor Yang and General Fang in Washington (34604966264).jpg|thumb|Mattis and Tillerson with Chinese General [[Fang Fenghui]] and State Councilor [[Yang Jiechi]], June 2017]]

=== China ===
Mattis called for [[freedom of navigation]] in the South China Sea and criticized China's [[Great Wall of Sand|island-building]] activities, saying: "The bottom line is{{nbsp}}... the international waters are international waters."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hunt|first1=Katie|title=Chinese state media slams Tillerson over South China Sea|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/13/politics/us-tillerson-china-reaction/|access-date=February 8, 2017|publisher=CNN Politics|date=January 13, 2017}}</ref>

=== Climate change ===
{{See also|Climate security}}
In 2017, Mattis said that budget cuts would hamper the ability to monitor the [[effects of global warming]],<ref name="Union of Concerned Scientists" /> and noted, "climate change is a challenge that requires a broader, whole-of-government response."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/james-mattis-us-defence-secretary-climate-change-destabilise-world-security-donald-trump-global-a7630676.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/james-mattis-us-defence-secretary-climate-change-destabilise-world-security-donald-trump-global-a7630676.html |archive-date=June 8, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=US Defence Secretary James Mattis says climate change is already destabilizing the world |year=2017 |work=The Independent}}</ref> He also told senators "climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today."<ref>Ness, Erik "The Cost of Skepticism", ''Brown Alumni Monthly'', March/April 2018, p.16</ref>

=== 2020 George Floyd protests ===
{{See also|George Floyd protests}}
On June 3, 2020, Mattis issued a statement to ''[[The Atlantic]]'' in which he criticized President Donald Trump and his policies during the [[George Floyd protests]]. He berated Trump for deliberately trying to cause division among the American people and advocating military action to "dominate" the country's protests. "Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society, and diminishes the trust and constitutional relationship between the armed services and the civilian population they support", he wrote. Mattis called for reunification among the people, regardless of the president, to preserve the welfare of society, and its future.<ref name="Starr/LeBlank"/>

Mattis wrote that Trump was "the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us". He added that America is "witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership". He called for accountability for "those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution". He concluded, "Only by adopting a new path—which means, in truth, returning to the original path of our founding ideals—will we again be a country admired and respected at home and abroad."<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Goldberg|first=Jeffrey|date=June 3, 2020|title=James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution|work=The Atlantic|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/james-mattis-denounces-trump-protests-militarization/612640/|url-status=live|access-date=June 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604012129/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/james-mattis-denounces-trump-protests-militarization/612640/|archive-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Starr/LeBlank">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/mattis-statement-trump/index.html|title=Mattis tears into Trump: 'We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership'|author1=Barbara Starr |author2=Paul LeBlanc|publisher=CNN|date=June 3, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="by CNN2020">{{Cite news|date=June 3, 2020|title=READ: Former Defense Secretary Mattis' statement on Trump and protests|publisher=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/mattis-protests-statement/index.html|access-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lamothe|first=Dan|title=Jim Mattis blasts Trump in message that defends protesters, says president 'tries to divide us'|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/06/03/jim-mattis-blasts-trump-message-that-defends-protesters-says-president-tries-divide-us/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=June 4, 2020|access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
A bachelor for his entire professional career, a now-retired Mattis married physicist and business executive Christina Lomasney<ref name="PNNL">[https://www.pnnl.gov/people/christina-lomasney Christina Lomasney], biography, [[Pacific Northwest National Laboratory]], accessed 2022-07-01</ref> in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schlosser |first=Kurt |date=2022-06-28 |title=Tech vet and physicist Christina Lomasney marries James Mattis, retired general and ex-defense chief |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/tech-vet-and-physicist-christina-lomasney-marries-james-mattis-retired-general-and-ex-defense-chief/ |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=GeekWire |language=en-US}}</ref> He has no children.<ref name=Kovach /> He had previously proposed to a woman, but the wedding was called off three days before it was to occur, after colleagues talked him out of leaving the Marine Corps for her.<ref name="NYBIO" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schogol |first=Jeff |date=2022-06-28 |title=James Mattis just got married in the most Marine way possible |url=https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/james-mattis-married-marine-corps/ |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=Task & Purpose |language=en-US}}</ref> He was nicknamed "The Warrior Monk" because of his bachelorhood and lifelong devotion to the study of war.<ref name=Ollie>{{cite news|author=[[Oliver North|North, Oliver]] |title=Gen. Mattis: The Warrior Monk |url=http://insider.foxnews.com/2010/07/09/gen-mattis-the-warrior-monk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118093128/http://insider.foxnews.com/2010/07/09/gen-mattis-the-warrior-monk |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 18, 2016 |access-date=June 3, 2015 |work=Fox News Insider |date=July 9, 2010 }}</ref> An avid reader, he has 7,000 books in his private library,<ref>[[Bob Woodward]], ''[[Fear: Trump in the White House]]'', Simon and Schuster, 2019, p. 50</ref> and has recommended [[Marcus Aurelius]]'s ''[[Meditations]]'' as the one book every American should read.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Szoldra |date=September 26, 2018 |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mattis-says-every-american-should-read-this-one-book-2018-9 |title=Mattis says every American should read this one book |work=Business Insider |access-date=March 24, 2020 }}</ref>

Mattis was inducted into the [[Sons of the American Revolution]] on July 13, 2021.

Mattis is a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]], and has been described as "devout"<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-john-kelly-trump-gets-a-plain-spoken-disciplinarian-as-his-chief-of-staff/2017/07/28/0c29cfc2-73db-11e7-9eac-d56bd5568db8_story.html|title=In John Kelly, Trump gets a plain-spoken disciplinarian as his chief of staff|last1=Jaffe|first1=Greg|date=July 28, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=June 16, 2018|last2=deGrandpre|first2=Andrew|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612234108/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-john-kelly-trump-gets-a-plain-spoken-disciplinarian-as-his-chief-of-staff/2017/07/28/0c29cfc2-73db-11e7-9eac-d56bd5568db8_story.html|archive-date=June 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and "committed".<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/trumps-catholic-warriors|title=Trump's Catholic Warriors|work=National Catholic Register|access-date=June 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015449/http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/trumps-catholic-warriors|archive-date=June 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 Iraq invasion]], he often prayed with general [[John F. Kelly]] on Sundays.<ref name=":2" /> The Trump transition team's formal biography of Mattis described him as "the living embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, ''[[Semper fidelis|Semper Fidelis]]''."<ref name=":3" /> He has declined when asked by reporters to discuss his faith in public.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/04/mattis-shows-how-to-handle-a-reporters-question-about-his-religious-beliefs/|title=Mattis Shows How to Handle a Reporter's Question About His Religious Beliefs|website=Foreign Policy|date=December 4, 2017 |quote=That's something I stay pretty private about.| access-date=June 16, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015603/https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/04/mattis-shows-how-to-handle-a-reporters-question-about-his-religious-beliefs/|archive-date=June 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2003 PBS interview, Mattis recalled how his Marines followed advice from his chaplain on gaining the support of Iraqi citizens:
<blockquote>
On the suggestion of my Catholic chaplain the Marines would take chilled drinking water in bottles and walk out amongst the protesters and hand it out. It is just hard to throw a rock at somebody who has given you a cold drink of water and it's 120 degrees outside.<ref name=":3" />
</blockquote>

== Military awards ==
Mattis's decorations, awards, and badges include, among others:
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="8"|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[File:Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]] [[File:US Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]] [[File:Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=nv|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:Navy and Marine Corps Achievement ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|[[File:Combat Action Ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|-
|[[File:United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:U.S. Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|[[File:Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|-
|[[File:Marine Corps Expeditionary ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Afghanistan Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|[[File:Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=service-star|other_device=bss|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:POL Złoty Medal Wojska Polskiego BAR.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=NATO Meritorious Service Medal bar.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=NATO Medal ISAF ribbon bar.svg|width=106}}
|[[File:CAN Meritorious Service Cross (military division) ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|[[File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|[[File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|ribbon|106px]]
|-
| colspan="2"|[[File:USMC Rifle Expert badge.png|150px]]
| colspan="2"|[[File:USMC Pistol Expert badge.png|150px]]
|-
| colspan="4"|[[File:Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.png|150px]]
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!1st row
|colspan="3"|[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] w/ one [[oak leaf cluster]]
|colspan="3"|[[Navy Distinguished Service Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[Defense Superior Service Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[Legion of Merit]]
|-
!2nd row
|colspan="3"|[[Bronze Star Medal]] w/ [[Combat "V"]]
|colspan="3"|[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] w/ two [[5/16 inch star|{{frac|5|16}}" Gold Star]]s
|colspan="3"|[[Achievement Medal|Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[Combat Action Ribbon]]
|-
!3rd row
|colspan="3"|[[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation]]
|colspan="3"|[[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]]
|colspan="3"|[[Navy Unit Commendation]]
|colspan="3"|[[Meritorious Unit Commendation|Navy and Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation]]
|-
!4th row
|colspan="3"|[[Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[National Defense Service Medal]] w/ two [[service star|{{frac|3|16}}" bronze stars]]
|colspan="3"|[[Southwest Asia Service Medal]] w/ two {{frac|3|16}}" bronze stars
|colspan="3"|[[Afghanistan Campaign Medal]] w/ one {{frac|3|16}}" bronze star
|-
!5th row
|colspan="3"|[[Iraq Campaign Medal]] w/ one {{frac|3|16}}" bronze star
|colspan="3"|[[Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]]
|colspan="3"|[[Humanitarian Service Medal]]
|-
!6th row
|colspan="3"|[[Sea Service Ribbon]] w/ one {{frac|3|16}}" silver star and two {{frac|3|16}}" bronze stars
|colspan="3"|[[Recruiting Service Ribbon#United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps Recruiting Service Ribbon]] w/ one {{frac|3|16}}" bronze star
|colspan="3"|[[Polish Army Medal]] in gold
|colspan="3"|[[NATO Medal|NATO Meritorious Service Medal]]<ref name="NATOawards">{{cite web|url=http://www.act.nato.int/french-general-assumes-command-of-allied-command-transformation|title=French general assumes command of Allied Command Transformation|date=September 18, 2009|publisher=Allied Command Transformation Public Affairs Office, [[NATO]]|access-date=September 28, 2009 <!-- location is where the publisher is, not where the story takes place |location={{USS|George Washington|CVN-73}} -->|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006090257/http://www.act.nato.int/french-general-assumes-command-of-allied-command-transformation|archive-date=October 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
!7th row
|colspan="3"|[[NATO Medal]] for Service with ISAF<ref name="NATOawards" />
|colspan="3"|[[Meritorious Service Cross]] from Canada in 2013 <ref name="canadagazette.gc.ca">{{cite web|url=http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-04-27/html/gh-rg-eng.html#c101|title=Meritorious Service Decorations|date=April 27, 2013|publisher=[[Canada Gazette]]|access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref>
|colspan="3"|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)]]
|colspan="3"|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)]]
|-
!Badges
|colspan="6"|[[Marksmanship Badge (United States)|Rifle Expert Badge]] (4th award)
|colspan="6"|[[Marksmanship Badge (United States)|Pistol Expert Badge]] (2nd award)
|-
!Badge
|colspan="12"|[[Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge]]
|}

===[[Meritorious Service Cross]] citation===

[[File:MSC-cut.png|40px|left]]

<blockquote>"While occupying key leadership positions within the United States Armed Forces and NATO between 2001 and 2012, General Mattis directly and repeatedly contributed to the Canadian Forces' operational success in Afghanistan. Providing unprecedented access and championing Canadian participation in critical policy and training events, he helped shape Canadian counter-insurgency doctrine. Demonstrating unequivocal support and unwavering commitment to Canada, General Mattis has significantly strengthened Canadian-American relations and has been a critical enabler in both countries' shared achievements in Afghanistan."<ref name="canadagazette.gc.ca"/></blockquote>

== Civilian awards ==
[[File:Defense.gov photo essay 100428-N-0696M-076.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Mattis receiving the Distinguished Military Leadership Award from [[Michael Mullen]] at the annual Atlantic Council Awards Gala in Washington, D.C.]]

Mattis's civilian awards include:

* 2009: [[Center for National Policy]]'s [[Center for National Policy#Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award|Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award]]<ref name=SenateNom />
* 2010: [[Atlantic Council]]'s Distinguished Military Leadership Award<ref name=SenateNom />
* 2013: World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads "[[Ryan Crocker|Ryan C. Crocker]] Global Citizen of the Year" Award<ref name=FWA />
* 2014: Marine Corps University Foundation Semper Fidelis Award<ref name=FWA />
* 2014: [[Washington College]] honorary [[Doctor of Law#United States|doctor of laws]] degree<ref>{{cite web|title=Convocation Will Honor Marine General James Mattis|url=https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/5053-convocation-will-honor-marine-general-james-mattis|publisher=Washington College|access-date=June 3, 2015|archive-date=December 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213091714/https://www.washcoll.edu/live/news/5053-convocation-will-honor-marine-general-james-mattis|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2016: [[Washington Policy Center]] Champion of Freedom Award recipient<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/wpcs-2016-champion-of-freedom-named-secretary-of-defense|title=WPC's 2016 'Champion of Freedom' named Secretary of Defense|publisher=Washington Policy Center|access-date=December 5, 2016}}</ref>
*2021: Elected as a member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Members|url=https://www.amacad.org/new-members-2021|access-date=April 24, 2021|publisher=American Academy of Arts & Sciences|language=en}}</ref>
*2021: Honorary Companion of the [[Order of Australia]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Order of Australia - Honorary Appointment - General James Mattis (Retd)|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021G00920 |access-date=December 6, 2022 |website=Federal Register of Legislation|date=December 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
* Mattis is the primary subject of [[Guy Snodgrass]]'s 2019 book ''Holding the Line: Inside Trump's Pentagon with Secretary Mattis''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Holding the Line: Inside Trump's Pentagon with Secretary Mattis|isbn = 978-0593084373|last1 = Snodgrass|first1 = Guy|year = 2019| publisher=Penguin }}</ref>
*[[Robert John Burke]] portrays Mattis in the 2008 HBO miniseries [[Generation Kill (miniseries)|''Generation Kill'']], which depicts the 2003 invasion of Iraq.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/generation-kill/cast-and-crew/maj-gen-james-mattis/index.html|title=Maj. Gen. James 'Maddog' Mattis|website=HBO}}</ref>
* Mattis is also known for the [[Internet meme]] depicting him as "Saint Mattis of Quantico, Patron Saint of Chaos".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Szoldra|first1=Paul|title=The Facebook page for Marine Special Ops posted a picture of 'Mad Dog' Mattis as a saint|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/marsoc-facebook-mattis-saint-2016-12|access-date=January 25, 2017|work=Business Insider|date=December 2, 2016}}</ref>
* Mattis is commonly "reported on" by the military [[satire]] website ''[[Duffel Blog]]'' for potentially being fired,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duffelblog.com/2018/09/mattis-says-hes-absolutely-not-leaving-pentagon-while-carrying-cardboard-box-out-to-his-car/|title=Mattis says he's 'absolutely not' leaving Pentagon while carrying cardboard box out to his car|first=Paul|last=Sharpe|date=September 24, 2018|access-date=December 23, 2018|archive-date=December 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224074058/https://www.duffelblog.com/2018/09/mattis-says-hes-absolutely-not-leaving-pentagon-while-carrying-cardboard-box-out-to-his-car/|url-status=dead}}</ref> winning an "arms race" with Russia,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duffelblog.com/2017/03/winning-arms-race-says-mattis-workout-kremlin-gym/|title='We're winning this arms race,' Mattis says during workout at Kremlin gym|first=Cat|last=Astronaut|date=March 2, 2017|access-date=December 23, 2018|archive-date=December 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224121903/https://www.duffelblog.com/2017/03/winning-arms-race-says-mattis-workout-kremlin-gym/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and crossing the Potomac to launch a Roman-style ''[[coup d'état]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duffelblog.com/2013/12/general-mattis-crosses-potomac-100000-troops-president-senate-flee-city/|title=General Mattis Crosses Potomac With 100,000 Troops; President, Senate Flee City|last=Scuttlebutt|first=Dick|date=December 24, 2013|website=Duffel Blog|language=en-US|access-date=December 23, 2018|archive-date=December 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221192024/https://www.duffelblog.com/2013/12/general-mattis-crosses-potomac-100000-troops-president-senate-flee-city/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Mattis is an avid reader and releases his reading lists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/13/defense-secretary-james-mattis-extraordinary-reading-habits.html|title=The extraordinary reading habits of Defense Secretary James Mattis|last=Macias|first=Amanda|date=September 15, 2018|publisher=CNBC|language=en|access-date=December 15, 2019}}</ref>
{{clear}}

== See also ==
* [[List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Works cited ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Marine Corps}}
* Reynolds, Nicholas E. (2005). ''Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond: The U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War''. p.&nbsp;5. Naval Institute Press. {{ISBN|1-59114-717-4}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links |commons=Category:James N. Mattis|q=James Mattis|d=y|b=no|n=no|s=Author:James N. Mattis|v=no|wikt=no}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171011204823/http://www.quotes.euronews.com/people/james-mattis-nxa8qYBW Quotes from James Mattis on ''All Views by Quotes'']
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_xCQ40FOto James Mattis Sworn in As US Secretary of Defense]
* [https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Article/1055835/james-n-mattis/ Department of Defense biography]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110430125117/https://slsp.manpower.usmc.mil/gosa/biographies/rptBiography.asp?PERSON_ID=121&PERSON_TYPE=General Official Marine Corps biography]
* {{cite news|date=June 2017 |url=http://mihsislander.org/2017/06/full-transcript-james-mattis-interview/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916053803/http://mihsislander.org/2017/06/full-transcript-james-mattis-interview/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 16, 2018 | title= Full transcript: Defense Secretary James Mattis' interview with The Islander}}
* {{C-SPAN|1007035}}

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