Jim Mattis and John Kelly
Two of the generals tapped by President Donald Trump for his Cabinet agreed early on to keep close tabs on the president.
John Kelly, who served as secretary of homeland security until he was named White House chief of staff last week, and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis were concerned by some of Trump's earliest decisions, reported the Associated Press.
The two retired generals were frustrated by the rollout of Trump's travel ban and made clear to associates they had nothing to do with the executive order, and both moved quickly to address its shortcomings.
Mattis asked to exempt Iraqis who had helped U.S. troops, for example, and Kelly made clear that green card holders would also be admitted into the country.
That order, and some of the president's other decisions, troubled the two Cabinet secretaries, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity.
Kelly and Mattis agreed that one of them should remain in the country at all times to monitor orders coming out of the White House, the official said.
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