Mattis out: Defense secretary says his views no longer aligned with Trump

Mattis told Trump he was making the move to allow the president to find “a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours.” ... Pentagon officials appeared caught unaware by sudden decisions made in the Oval Office on forming a new Space Force, sending troops to the southern U.S. border, and banning transgender recruits from the ranks. This week, Mattis and other top defense officials appeared to be surprised by Trump’s plans for a rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria.