Secretary of Defense James Mattis could be the next member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to leave after recent friction between the two over joint military exercises with South Korea, Slate reports.
On Tuesday, Mattis told reporters at a press conference that the suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea, which was part of an agreement with North Korea, was made "as a good-faith measure," and said that "We have no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises," according to Reuters.
The next day, Trump tweeted a statement addressing North Korea, saying that "there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses."
Mattis' comment had reportedly angered the White House, which viewed it as contradicting the president, according to The New York Times.
Trump added that "If he does," reinstate the exercises, "they will be far bigger than ever before."
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