In a bombshell revelation from a new book titled “The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis,” former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis reportedly described ex-President Donald Trump as “a madman in a circular room screaming.” The book, authored by George Stephanopoulos and Lisa Dickey, delves into the history of presidential crises and is set to be released next week.
According to Tom Bossert, Trump’s homeland security adviser from 2017 to 2018, Trump avoided situation room briefings because he believed the generals should come to him instead. Bossert revealed that Mattis, a four-star general who served in the Marine Corps for 43 years, refused to enter the White House during his tenure as defense secretary under Trump.
Mattis resigned from his position in 2018 over Trump’s decision to withdraw US forces from Syria. He also penned a scathing letter to “The Atlantic” in 2020, criticizing Trump’s divisive leadership style and lack of effort to unite the American people.
In response, Trump publicly denounced Mattis, calling him “mad dog” and claiming he was pleased with his resignation. Trump also criticized Mattis’ leadership style and accomplishments during his time in the administration.
The book also reveals that Trump forced aides to create books of chyrons, simplifying the news of the day, a task described as mundane for the highly trained intelligence officers in the White House.
“The Situation Room” promises to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the tumultuous Trump administration and the challenges faced by top officials like Mattis and Bossert.