Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Tuesday that he would write legislation to overturn an anti-revolving door law to allow retired Gen. James Mattis to serve as defense secretary.
Mattis, a tough-talking Marine general and the former head of U.S. Central Command, is considered the front-runner to be President-elect Trump’s defense secretary. But a law barring any officer on active duty from serving as defense secretary within seven years of leaving the military appears to be standing in his way.
McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Forces Committee, said Tuesday that he would write a bill to overturn the revolving door law to allow Mattis to lead the Pentagon.
“Yes, sure,” the Arizona Republican said when asked if he would take that step.
After Trump tweeted glowing comments about Mattis after a recent meeting with him at Trump Tower, McCain issued a full-throated endorsement of Mattis for the top Pentagon post.
“General Mattis is … a leader who inspires a rare and special admiration of his troops,” McCain said. “He is a forthright strategic thinker. His integrity is unshakable and unquestionable.”
Mattis and McCain also share an opposition to waterboarding, which both consider torture but Trump has said could be necessary to employ with dangerous terrorist suspects.
Trump said in a recent interview with the New York Times that Mattis “surprised” him during his mid-month meeting by arguing that “beer and cigarettes” are a better alternative in interrogations.
