With a drama-filled White House, Mattis has shown deft political touch

Some analysts speculated, for example, that Mattis’s slow-rolling resistance to Trump’s order on transgender may be motivated by a deeply held military bias for consistency and continuity over sudden shifts in policy.

“He’s clearly saying he’s not going to be a political agent of change inside the military,”

.. Others interpreted Mattis’s response as an expression of respect for the oath that transgender troops took to serve.

.. During his confirmation hearings in January, Mattis offered unflinching support for the service of gay and transgender troops. “Frankly, I’ve never cared much about two consenting adults and who they go to bed with,” he said in response to a question from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

.. This spring, Mattis was asked in a rare interview with New Yorker magazine about his biggest worries in his new job. “The lack of political unity in America,” Mattis replied. “The lack of fundamental friendliness.”

.. “It’s in­cred­ibly frustrating to the military that we can’t put aside our political differences for the greater good of the country,” said Kathleen H. Hicks, a top Pentagon official in the Obama administration. “They don’t understand it.”