President Trump insists he likes having ‘acting’ staff members, again says he fired Jim Mattis – By David Boroff (New York Daily News) / Feb 3 2019
President Trump said Sunday that he likes his “acting” staff members and again claimed that he fired Jim Mattis, who resigned as secretary of defense in December.
Trump had been asked by Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation” about having an acting defense secretary (Patrick Shanahan), an acting interior secretary (David Bernhardt) and an acting chief of staff (Mick Mulvaney).
It’s OK,” Trump responded. “It’s easier to make moves when they’re acting.”
In addition, Matthew Whitaker is acting attorney general, Andrew Wheeler is acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency and Jonathan Cohen is acting ambassador to the UN. Trump told Brennan that “some are doing a fantastic job.”
“Really — I like acting because I can move so quickly,” he continued. “It gives me more flexibility.”
Shanahan replaced Mattis, who resigned after Trump said that all U.S. troops in Syria will return home. Trump has repeatedly said he pushed Mattis out, and the subject was broached when Brennan asked him how he knows when to fire someone.
“When it doesn’t get done,” Trump responded. “Like with General Mattis, I wasn’t happy with his service. I told him give me a letter.”
The Trump interview on CBS covered multiple subjects, including the possibility of shutting down the government again on Feb. 15 over his proposed border wall.
“I don’t take anything off the table,” he said. “I don’t like to take things off the table.”
Trump also criticized nemesis Nancy Pelosi, calling the House Speaker “rigid” and “very bad for our country.”
“She knows that you need a barrier,” he said. “She knows that we need border security. She wanted to win a political point. I happen to think it’s very bad politics because basically she wants open borders.”
Trump also touted the job he has done with Syria and ISIS when asked about his criticism of intelligence leaders. He added that he wants to keep troops in Iraq so the U.S. can keep an eye on Iran.
“All I want to do is be able to watch,” Trump told Brennan.
“We have an unbelievable and expensive military base built in Iraq. It’s perfectly situated for looking at all over different parts of the troubled Middle East rather than pulling up. And this is what a lot of people don’t understand. We’re going to keep watching and we’re going to keep seeing and if there’s trouble, if somebody is looking to do nuclear weapons or other things, we’re going to know it before they do.”
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-news-trump-acting-staff-mattis-20190203-story.html
