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Mattis Rejected Spicer’s 2017 TV Invites in No Uncertain Terms - Woodward Book

© AP Photo / Evan VucciWhite House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks during the daily press briefing in the briefing room of the White House in Washington
White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks during the daily press briefing in the briefing room of the White House in Washington - Sputnik International
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Journalist Bob Woodward’s upcoming book, “Fear,” the latest to offer an insider’s look at the administration of US President Donald Trump, reportedly includes an episode in which Defense Secretary Jim Mattis threatened White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

It's unclear from the leaked excerpt whether the episode happened before Spicer left the administration in August 2017, but the book says that at one point when Spicer was trying to get Mattis to go on Sunday morning talk shows with him, the defense secretary got more than a little frustrated, CNN reported Wednesday.

Mattis, a former US Marine Corps general whose nickname is "Mad Dog," eventually rejected Spicer in no uncertain terms, reportedly saying, "Sean, I've killed people for a living. If you call me again, I'm going to f**king send you to Afghanistan. Are we clear?"

​Task and Purpose noted that Mattis has appeared on a network TV show precisely once since joining the Trump administration: in May 2017 he went on CBS' "Face the Nation," and during the interview with John Dickerson, he made the very Mad Dog-esque comment that nothing keeps him up at night — "I keep other people awake at night."

Mattis has previously denied that Woodward's portrayal of him, or quotations attributed to him, are accurate. On Tuesday, in response to other excerpts leaked from the book that claimed the secretary called Trump "an idiot," Mattis issued a statement rejecting the claims and calling Woodward's book "fiction." Other members of the administration have done the same.

​Spicer, who was Trump's White House press secretary and communications director in the first half of 2017, was also the Republican Party's communications director for six years before joining the Trump administration after the 2016 election. He resigned from the administration in July 2017, but departed his duties entirely on August 31 of that year.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis answers a question from a reporter during his meeting with Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Monday, March 26, 2018, at the Pentagon - Sputnik International
Mattis Calls Woodward’s Book 'Product of Rich Imagination'

Shortly thereafter, Spicer took to TV, appearing on "Good Morning America" as well as Jimmy Kimmel's late night show, and even spoofing his own tenure with the Trump team at the Emmy Awards that September. He even explored launching his own TV political talk show earlier this year, but it never got off the ground.

Woodward's book hits shelves September 11.

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