How Mattis differed with Trump beyond Syria

Time

Afghanistan pullout

The Associated Press reported Thursday night that Trump is planning to order a dramatic reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, pulling up to half of the 14,000 U.S. forces out of the country after 17 years of war. Mattis has argued for sending additional resources there to end the war and stabilize the country....

Troops at the U.S.-Mexico border
When the White House released a memo authorizing troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border to use lethal force, if necessary, against what Trump called an “invasion” of migrants, Mattis clarified that the troops wouldn’t even have firearms. “They’re not even carrying guns, for Christ’s sake,” he said.

Transgender troop ban

Mattis also pushed back on Trump’s proposed ban on transgender service members.

The Space Force

Though he eventually offered support to Trump’s plan to establish a “Space Force,” Mattis initially broke with Trump on its creation as a separate branch in the military....

NATO and U.S. allies

Mattis was also a firm believer in NATO’s power to preserve global peace. “If you didn’t have NATO, you would have to invent it,” Mattis said, according to reporting by veteran journalist Bob Woodward. Trump ceded to Mattis on the matter. “You can have your NATO,” Woodward reported Trump told Mattis, “but you become the rent collector.”