In The Moment ... November 6, 2019 Show 695 Hour 1 Retired Marine Corps General James Mattis was President Donald Trump's first Secretary of Defense. Secretary Mattis believed in keeping the United States military apolitical. He believed in restoring the military's budget for force readiness. And he believed America is stronger because of her allies. Not all of his beliefs, however, meshed with the new Commander in Chief. Guy Snodgrass served as director of communications and chief speechwriter