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Mattis comments on Trump draw varied responses

Former Defense Secretary said President is a threat to the Constitution.

WASHINGTON — President Donald J.Trump's first secretary of defense, General James Mattis, offered a blistering critique of his former boss, calling him, among other things, "a threat to the Constitution."

Others are chiming in, but the President is brushing it all off.

In "The Atlantic," the retired Marine General Mattis blasted the President for threatening to send active-duty troops into U.S. cities to quell civil unrest.

Mattis said: "Militarizing our response ... erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect."

RELATED: '3 years without mature leadership': Gen. Jim Mattis unloads on Trump

Trump blew it off, tweeting that Mattis is "the world's most overrated general."

Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) said Trump's words and actions this week have been "disgraceful."

Said Warner: "President Trump's reaction to General Mattis' comments, and other military leaders' comments, is typical. It's petty. It is not the action you would expect to come out of the office of the President of the United States."

Indeed, two retired chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of staff -- General Martin Dempsey and Admiral Mike Mullen -- have this week also blasted the President.

"The military is being used as pawns in a political struggle," said retired Navy Captain Joe Bouchard.

Bouchard served as commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk, was captain of a destroyer, and he was a member of the National Security Council staff. He was also a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

He thinks President Trump would be making a big mistake to call up the active military.

"What worries me, by using the military -- even the National Guard -- is that we could have another Kent State incident," he said.

On Capitol Hill, several Republican lawmakers sided with the President. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, when asked about Mattis' criticism, said: "I'm not buying it."

13News Now reached out to the lone Republican member of the Hampton Roads congressional delegation, First District Representative Rob Wittman. His office has not provided a comment yet.

RELATED: Defense Secretary Esper opposes using Insurrection Act for law enforcement

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