Calling him a "true general's general," President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday he was considering retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as his secretary of defense, CNN reported
The two men met for a little over an hour Saturday afternoon in Bedminster, New Jersey. An official familiar with the transition process told CNN that it was an important meeting and that Mattis can be considered a leading candidate.
While Trump has not made an official announcement, he did tell reporters that the retired four-star general “is the real deal” and noted on Twitter that Mattis was a "true general's general."
Mattis, nicknamed “Mad Dog,” served 44 years in the Marine Corps. He led a task force into southern Afghanistan in 2001 and a Marine division during the Iraq invasion in 2003. He retired in 2013.
He was praised for his leadership during the 2004 Battle of Falluja in Iraq, but was embroiled in controversy the following year when he said, "It's fun to shoot some people," while addressing service members in San Diego.
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