Article snippet: Defense Secretary In a striking resignation letter to Trump notable as much for what it did not say as what was included, Mattis signaled his concern with the way Trump treated allies in NATO as well as rivals such as China and Russia. "Because you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis wrote. The letter did not mention Trump and did not include statements typically found in resignation letters about it having been an honor to serve the president. It was addressed "Dear Mr. President," and concluded with a line about how it had been an honor to serve the nation and "our men and women in uniform." A former White House official who worked closely with Mattis' team described the letter as “a 21 gun f--- you.” Congressional reaction to the Mattis resignation was gloomy, with House Democratic Leader MORE (D-Calif.), the likely next Speaker of the House, saying it had left her shaken. "I am shaken by the resignation of Gen. Mattis and pray for our country," Pelosi told reporters at a press conference held over the looming government shutdown — the backdrop for the defense chief's news. "This is a sad day for America because Secretary Mattis was giving advice the President needs to hear," Sen. MORE (R-Neb.) said in a statement. "Mattis rightly believes that Russia and China are clear adversaries and that we are at war with jih... Link to the full article to read more