Mattis Archives - Task & Purpose

By David Roza Apr 24, 2020

News

More than 60 lawmakers want to award James Mattis the Congressional Gold Medal

Eight more lawmakers signaled their support for “The General James N. Mattis Congressional Gold Medal Act,” bringing the total to...

By David Roza Mar 19, 2020

History

A brick too far: How General Mattis used Legos to plan out the invasion of Iraq

Gen. Jim Mattis needed a plan to keep the 5,000 vehicles of the 1st Marine Division chugging into southern Iraq....

By Jeff Schogol Feb 17, 2020

News

Exclusive: US-Taliban ceasefire to begin on Feb. 22

The temporary truce is part of efforts to reach a peace agreement with the Taliban that would pave the way...

By Jeff Schogol Jan 17, 2020

News

Trump blasted Mattis and other top Pentagon leaders as ‘dopes and babies’ in an intense meeting, new book claims

President Donald Trump called then-Defense Secretary James Mattis and other top Pentagon leaders "dopes and babies" during an intense 2017...

By Jeff Schogol Dec 13, 2019

Bullet Points

Mattis: No, the war in Afghanistan isn’t ‘just one undistinguished defeat after another’

"If you read this, you'd almost think it's a total disaster and it's not that at all."

By Jeff Schogol Nov 14, 2019

News

‘Cynicism is cowardice’ — Mattis explains how American democracy can truly fix itself

Americans' eroding trust in all forms of government has made it impossible to solve the most serious problems facing the...

By Jeff Schogol Nov 3, 2019

Analysis

It’s not bias to ask if Trump and the Pentagon know what they are doing

For the past 14 years, I've had the honor to tell the stories of U.S. service members who are taking...

By Kip Hill, The Spokesman-Review Oct 26, 2019

News

Mattis offers optimism, avoids talking Trump during speech in Spokane

Rather than rehashing his reasons for leaving the Pentagon, former Defense Secretary James Mattis used most of his remarks to...

By Wendy Culverwell, Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.) Oct 25, 2019

News

A lawmaker wants to award Mattis the Congressional Gold Medal

The award has previously been bestowed on George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Douglas MacArthur and Harry S Truman

By Amy Kuperinsky, NJ Advance Media Group Oct 18, 2019

News

‘I’m the Meryl Streep of generals’ — Mattis hits back at Trump for calling him the ‘world’s most overrated general’

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis decided to take on President Donald Trump's reported assertion that he is "overrated" at the...

By Jeff Schogol Sep 16, 2019

News

Trump claims Mattis asked for a military operation to be delayed due to an ‘ammo shortage’

"I said: 'You know what, general, I never want to hear that again from another general. No president should ever,...

By Jeff Schogol Aug 28, 2019

Analysis

Mattis wags his knife hand at toxic leadership in Washington with a veiled jab at Trump

Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis resigned as defense secretary in December to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw all...

By Haley Britzky Jun 22, 2019

Mandatory Fun

BEHOLD: Mattis’ official SecDef portrait shows him sheathing his knife hand in his pocket

God help us.

By Wendy Culverwell, Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Wash.) Feb 22, 2019

News

A grassroots campaign for Mattis to run for office is brewing in his hometown

A Richland, Washington city councilman thinks native son Jim Mattis would make a terrific governor or even president.

By Jeff Schogol Jan 7, 2019

News

Mattis is Gone. Patrick Shanahan Is Now In Wonderland.

Patrick Shanahan has swallowed the "Red Pill" from the Matrix. Now he'll see how deep this rabbit hole goes.

By Paul Szoldra Dec 27, 2018

Analysis

Trump Says He’s ‘In No Rush’ To Pick A New Defense Secretary

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was “in no rush” to pick someone to replace Defense Secretary Jim Mattis,...

By Paul Szoldra Dec 26, 2018

News

Mattis Signs Order Withdrawing US Troops From Syria

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has signed the execute order withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed to Task...

By Paul Szoldra Dec 23, 2018

News

Trump Will Remove Mattis, Replace Him With His Deputy On Jan. 1

President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would remove Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and replace him with his deputy on...

By Paul Szoldra Dec 23, 2018

Analysis

Trump Finally Goes After Mattis, Days After Defense Secretary Drops Bombshell Resignation Letter

It took three days before President Donald Trump finally went after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. That must be a new...

By Tom Ricks Dec 21, 2018

The Long March

Ricks: All I Want For Christmas Is A New Secretary Of Defense

And so Mattis goes. It was probably inevitable after his former subordinate John Kelly was said to be leaving his...

By Paul Szoldra Dec 14, 2018

News

Mattis Personally Recommends Ex-Trump Staffer Reince Preibus To Be Navy Officer

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis personally recommended former White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus be selected as a Navy reserve...

By Oriana Pawlyk, Military.com Dec 2, 2018

News

‘Mr. Putin Is a Slow Learner’ — Mattis Blasts Russian Aggression, Election Meddling

Editor’s Note: This article by Oriana Pawlyk originally appeared on Military.com, a leading source of news for the military and...

By Jared Keller Sep 13, 2018

Humor

Mattis Reportedly Has The Dumbest New Nickname I’ve Ever Heard

It's generally well known that Secretary of Defense James Mattis hates the “Mad Dog” nickname that U.S. Marines affectionately bestowed upon him during...

By Paul Szoldra Jul 25, 2018

Code Red News

The White House Is Making National Security Decisions Without Telling The Pentagon

I emailed the Pentagon last week, asking them for details of an “international security” agreement Russia was touting after the...

By Brad Howard Jun 29, 2018

Bullet Points

Marines May Be Headed For Taiwan For The First Time Since 1979

The U.S. State Department has issued a request for U.S. Marines to be stationed in Taiwan for the protection of...

Mattis

News

Featured in Mattis

More than 60 lawmakers want to award James Mattis the Congressional Gold Medal

A brick too far: How General Mattis used Legos to plan out the invasion of Iraq

Exclusive: US-Taliban ceasefire to begin on Feb. 22

Trump blasted Mattis and other top Pentagon leaders as ‘dopes and babies’ in an intense meeting, new book claims

Mattis: No, the war in Afghanistan isn’t ‘just one undistinguished defeat after another’

‘Cynicism is cowardice’ — Mattis explains how American democracy can truly fix itself

It’s not bias to ask if Trump and the Pentagon know what they are doing

Mattis offers optimism, avoids talking Trump during speech in Spokane

A lawmaker wants to award Mattis the Congressional Gold Medal

‘I’m the Meryl Streep of generals’ — Mattis hits back at Trump for calling him the ‘world’s most overrated general’

Trump claims Mattis asked for a military operation to be delayed due to an ‘ammo shortage’

Mattis wags his knife hand at toxic leadership in Washington with a veiled jab at Trump

BEHOLD: Mattis’ official SecDef portrait shows him sheathing his knife hand in his pocket

A grassroots campaign for Mattis to run for office is brewing in his hometown

Mattis is Gone. Patrick Shanahan Is Now In Wonderland.

Trump Says He’s ‘In No Rush’ To Pick A New Defense Secretary

Mattis Signs Order Withdrawing US Troops From Syria

Trump Will Remove Mattis, Replace Him With His Deputy On Jan. 1

Trump Finally Goes After Mattis, Days After Defense Secretary Drops Bombshell Resignation Letter

Ricks: All I Want For Christmas Is A New Secretary Of Defense

Mattis Personally Recommends Ex-Trump Staffer Reince Preibus To Be Navy Officer

‘Mr. Putin Is a Slow Learner’ — Mattis Blasts Russian Aggression, Election Meddling

Mattis Reportedly Has The Dumbest New Nickname I’ve Ever Heard

The White House Is Making National Security Decisions Without Telling The Pentagon

Marines May Be Headed For Taiwan For The First Time Since 1979