Jim Mattis Leaves the Kids in Charge at Trump’s White House
The president’s dervish act shows how worried he is about a Democrat Congress going after him and attacks from his base about the wall.
The Mattis resignation shows again that Trump is a unique political animal: Someone fully capable of burning down everything around him if he feels cornered.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergHe’s right. Few politicians have the ability to chase away a capable, well-regarded defense secretary, order thousands of U.S. troops out of Syria and Afghanistan, instigate a government shutdown, help foment a deep stock market swoon and share a video of themselves dressed in overalls and singing “Green Acres” to promote a farm bill – all in the same day.
Fewer still choose to go into full whirling dervish mode when they’re already swamped with law enforcement investigations and the opposition party is weeks away from assuming oversight and investigative powers that promise to make each day at the office even more harried and nettlesome.