WASHINGTON – Lawmakers on Capitol Hill were shaken Friday with the news of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’ resignation, a departure that leaves a gaping hole in military leadership and heightens concerns that the country’s national security could be entering a free fall.

Republicans and Democrats expressed outrage in some cases and concern in others that Mattis is leaving in protest, after his resignation letter issued an unprecedented rebuke of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Mattis a “patriot” and she said his resignation letter raised serious alarm, highlighting concerns that Trump is on a path to put U.S. adversaries ahead of allies.

“I think everybody in the country should read his letter of resignation,” said Pelosi, who is poised to take over as speaker of the House come January. “I am shaken by the resignation of General Mattis for what it means to our country, for the message it sends to our troops and for the indication of what his view is of the commander in chief.”

After months of speculation about Mattis’ future as defense secretary, Trump broke the news late Thursday that the Pentagon chief would be stepping down in February. Within minutes, the Mattis resignation letter was distributed throughout the Pentagon and with it, his words reverberated fears for what his departure could mean.

The end came in the midst of a soured relationship with the president, questions about Mattis’ waning influence, talks of defense budget cuts and abrupt announcements from Trump to end military operations in Syria and cut troop levels in half in Afghanistan.

Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued his strongest rebuke yet of Trump in his statement on Mattis’ departure. McConnell said it was essential the U.S. maintain and strengthen its post-World War II alliances and maintain a clear-eyed understanding of its friends and foes.

The move raised the specter that Republican lawmakers could shift against Trump based on the Mattis resignation and questions of who could possibly replace him as defense secretary.

“I was sorry to learn that Secretary Mattis, who shares those clear principles, will soon depart the administration. But I am particularly distressed that he is resigning due to sharp differences with the president on these and other key aspects of America’s global leadership,” McConnell said. “It is regrettable that the president must now choose a new secretary of defense. But I urge him to select a leader who shares Secretary Mattis’ understanding of these vital principles and his total commitment to America’s servicemembers.”

Other Republicans followed suit, expressing concern that Mattis, a retired Marine general, was a stabilizer in the Trump administration.

“I slept better at night knowing that General Mattis was protecting our nation, our allies, and our brave men and women in uniform – many of whom I’ve worked with in the trenches,” Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and a former CIA agent, tweeted late Thursday. “This is bad news for the nation and the security of the world.”

Other Republicans marked the news as leaving a gaping hole in the country’s national security.

“Defense Secretary Mattis has served our country with honor and distinction for many years,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tweeted. “His departure is a real loss for our nation, our troops, and this Administration.”

Democrats were sharper in their comments, raising the alarm in the wake of Mattis’ letter and his role as a beacon to U.S. allies in a turbulent Trump administration.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer noted that with the Mattis departure, Trump has lost all his key generals, including the outgoing White House Chief of Staff and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly who leaves by year end and former national security adviser and retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster.

“Secretary Mattis was one of the few symbols, the few items of strength and stability in this administration, everything that indicates stability, everything that indicates strength, everything that indicates knowledge is leaving this administration,” said Schumer, D-N.Y. “There is chaos now in this administration.”

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the first Democrats to raise the alarm Thursday evening, suggested Mattis was leaving because Trump’s foreign policy had gone off the rails and raised concerns for the morale crisis that could now be hitting the Defense Department in the wake of other abrupt news of troop drawdowns Syria and Afghanistan.

A high ranking Democratic colleague in the House, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, agreed.

“Old Marines never die, but they do resign after the President ignores their advice, betrays our allies, rewards our enemies, and puts the nation’s security at risk,” Schiff tweeted. “Turn out the lights when Mattis leaves; we will not see his like again while Trump remains in office.”

grisales.claudia@stripes.com Twitter: @cgrisales

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