James Mattis, who served as President Donald Trump's secretary of defense since the start of the Trump administration, will be retiring, Trump said in a pair of tweets Thursday.
Mattis will retire "at the end of February," Trump said, "after having served my Administration as Secretary of Defense for the past two years."
Trump tweet 1
Trump tweet 2
Trump said that a new defense secretary will be named "shortly."
Neither the White House nor The Pentagon immediately responded to CNBC's requests for comment on the president's announcement.
The 68-year-old retired Marine Corps general was widely viewed as a stabilizing influence within an often chaotic White House.
Mattis' celebrated military career spanned four decades. Prior to joining Trump's Cabinet, the four-star general was the head of U.S. Central Command, which directs military operations and oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was known before and during his White House tenure for his even-keeled demeanor and strategic mind, and was broadly held in high esteem among Republicans and Democrats alike.
Mattis was also famed for his prolific reading habit, which he has attributed to his leadership success.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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