--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In picking Gen. Jim Mattis for Defense…" description: "\"In picking Gen. Jim Mattis for Defense secretary, President-elect Donald Trump has said that he found his 'Gen. George Patton.' Yet that label may not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/peter-bergen-1880_choice_in-picking-gen-jim-mattis-for-defense-se_1988983.jpg" --- # In picking Gen. Jim Mattis for Defense secretary… ![“In picking Gen. Jim Mattis for Defense secretary, President-elect Donald Trump has said that he found his 'Gen. George Patton.' Yet that label may not really capture what makes Mattis a distinctive choice.” quote by Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/peter-bergen-1880_choice_in-picking-gen-jim-mattis-for-defense-se_1988983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/peter-bergen-1880_choice_in-picking-gen-jim-mattis-for-defense-se_1988983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/peter-bergen-1880_choice_in-picking-gen-jim-mattis-for-defense-se_1988983.jpg) > “In picking Gen. Jim Mattis for Defense secretary, President-elect Donald Trump has said that he found his 'Gen. George Patton.' Yet that label may not really capture what makes Mattis a distinctive choice.” [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump likened Mattis to Patton, but such a label oversimplifies Mattis's unique qualifications for defense leadership. **In simple terms:** Labels can hide nuanced strengths. Key Takeaway Look beyond simple comparisons. Themes leadership military politics Mood critical analytical Type political analysis When to use this quote - defense appointments - political strategy - media commentary Key Concepts strategic analysis character assessment Questions to Reflect On - What qualities truly matter in a defense secretary? - How do media narratives shape our view? A Different Perspective Comparisons may mislead public perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [George Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-patton/) ## Related quotes > [I'm rebuilding the military. We have great people. We have tremendous borders. I mention the F-35 because if I can save $725 million —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-rebuilding-the-military-we-have-great-people-we-have-tremendous/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Others were now recruited and, despite their obvious impressions of the man, agreed to sign on. Jim Mattis, a retired four-star general, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/others-were-now-recruited-and-despite-their-obvious-impressions-of/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“Bannon veered from “Mad Dog” Mattis—the retired four-star general whom Trump had nominated as secretary of defense—to a long riff on torture, the surprising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/bannon-veered-from-mad-dog-mattis-the-retired-four-star-general-whom/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [President-elect Trump has said he would like to improve relations with Russia. His choice for defense secretary views Russia as America's number one threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/president-elect-trump-has-said-he-would-like-to-improve-relations/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Democrats are committed to mapping a new direction in Iraq, and we will work with the President and the new Defense Secretary to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clyburn/democrats-are-committed-to-mapping-a-new-direction-in-iraq-and-we/) [Jim Clyburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clyburn/) > [“Let's look at this rationally...We've got a doctor who may kill him, an Attorney General who wants to declare him bananas, and a Defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-buckley/let-s-look-at-this-rationally-we-ve-got-a-doctor-who-may-kill-him-an/) [Christopher Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-buckley/) > [In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/in-my-opinion-any-future-defense-secretary-who-advises-the-president/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [These soldiers deserve a better defense secretary than the one we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-soldiers-deserve-a-better-defense-secretary-than-the-one-we-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the Defense Department was established after World War II, a law said that any defense secretary with military experience must have been out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/when-the-defense-department-was-established-after-world-war-ii-a-law/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Well, he keeps saying that, and as defense secretary, of course he has to think of a lot of potential enemies. I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/well-he-keeps-saying-that-and-as-defense-secretary-of-course-he-has/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [When former Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote his recent book, 'Duty', it was full of tough assessments and candor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/when-former-defense-secretary-robert-gates-wrote-his-recent-book-duty/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [What would you do differently as defense secretary to compensate for this record in which the greatest military in the world, as we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/what-would-you-do-differently-as-defense-secretary-to-compensate-for/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [New Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that he is open to letting transgender people serve in the military. He said there's no reason to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/new-defense-secretary-ashton-carter-said-that-he-is-open-to-letting/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [“By 1967 McNamara was pacing about his expansive Pentagon office, staring at the large framed photograph of Defense Secretary Forrestal (who had committed suicide),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/by-1967-mcnamara-was-pacing-about-his-expansive-pentagon-office/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [I think Rumsfeld was not a good Defense Secretary. I'm glad he's gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/i-think-rumsfeld-was-not-a-good-defense-secretary-i-m-glad-he-s-gone/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) ## More by Peter Bergen > [So Pakistan is a country that I'm very fond of and have spent a lot of time, but it is a country where conspiracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/so-pakistan-is-a-country-that-i-m-very-fond-of-and-have-spent-a-lot/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The deep problems that afflict the Middle East are not easy to fix, but they must be dealt with if we are not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-deep-problems-that-afflict-the-middle-east-are-not-easy-to-fix/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The dirty little secret of the intelligence world is that much of what you really need to know isn't exactly a secret anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-dirty-little-secret-of-the-intelligence-world-is-that-much-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Abedi appears to be one of the many thousands of Western Muslims who have embraced militant Islam, often as a way of trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/abedi-appears-to-be-one-of-the-many-thousands-of-western-muslims-who/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Trump has claimed he knows more about ISIS than America's leading generals. Clearly, this is also total nonsense; he doesn't seem to have done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/trump-has-claimed-he-knows-more-about-isis-than-america-s-leading/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [As early as 1993, members of bin Laden's group had been planning an attack on the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/as-early-as-1993-members-of-bin-laden-s-group-had-been-planning-an/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The reality is that Trump's focus on immigrants is to misconceive of the terrorist problem that exists in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-reality-is-that-trump-s-focus-on-immigrants-is-to-misconceive-of/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [ISIS despises the Russian government for its support of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and so it's no surprise that ISIS began targeting Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/isis-despises-the-russian-government-for-its-support-of-the-syrian/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The Sunni militants that make up ISIS are not the underlying problem in Syria and Iraq, but rather they are a symptom of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-sunni-militants-that-make-up-isis-are-not-the-underlying-problem/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Keeping a relatively small, predominantly U.S. Special Forces presence in Afghanistan to continue to train the Afghan army past December 2016 is a wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/keeping-a-relatively-small-predominantly-u-s-special-forces-presence/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [One of the themes of 'The Longest War,' my book, which came out before the Arab spring happened, was how al-Qaida and bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/one-of-the-themes-of-the-longest-war-my-book-which-came-out-before/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Because 9/11 was carried out by 19 foreign-born Arab hijackers, many assume that all terrorists who attack the West are foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/because-9-11-was-carried-out-by-19-foreign-born-arab-hijackers-many/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I was the only outsider to visit the Abbottabad compound where bin Laden lived before the Pakistani military demolished it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/i-was-the-only-outsider-to-visit-the-abbottabad-compound-where-bin/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) [Explore all 201 Peter Bergen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In picking Gen. 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