Mattis retired as the head of the U.S. Central Command in spring 2013—and after he spent 44 years in the Marine Corps.
Mattis is known for colorful quotes including: “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.” In April, he called Iran “the single most enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East,” according to the Post.
Trump met with the retired general on Nov. 19, and the president-elect described him as “the real deal.”
