Defense Secretary James Mattis was quick to correct President Trump when the commander in chief claimed Wednesday that "talking is not the answer" when it comes to North Korea.
"We are never out of diplomatic solutions," Mattis told reporters.
A number of high-ranking officials have found themselves scrambling to temper Trump's statements since he took office, Reuters reports. Recently, many broke with Trump's statements about violence on "both sides" in Charlottesville, including economic adviser Gary Cohn, who specified that "citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I think the problem is that [advisers] are now dealing with a president who tweets his thoughts to the country," said former defense secretary and CIA director Leon Panetta.
But when asked about Mattis contradicting Trump on North Korea, Pentagon spokesperson Dana White did some clarifying of her own. "Secretary Mattis provides the president with his best advice," she said. "It is the president who makes the ultimate decisions."
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Stopping GLP-1s raises complicated questions for pregnancyThe Explainer Stopping the medication could be risky during pregnancy, but there is more to the story to be uncovered
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visas
Speed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymander
Speed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
