Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Thursday he and President Donald Trump are on the same page regarding North Korea after claims that suggested otherwise.
According to Politico, Mattis spoke with reporters at the Pentagon and said the United States is not currently engaging in diplomatic talks with North Korea — a point made by Trump a day earlier.
"It didn't contradict anything the president said. We're not talking to the North Koreans right now," Mattis said, referencing his statement Wednesday which did seem to go against a Trump tweet that centered on dealing with North Korea and its aggressive military actions.
Mattis, a retired Marine general, was asked about the tweet later Wednesday and said, "We're never out of diplomatic solutions."
On Thursday, Mattis said he follows orders from the White House because that's his job.
"You know when a president of the United States asks you to do something … I don't think it’s old-fashioned or anything, I don't care if it's a Republican or Democrat, we all have an obligation to serve," Mattis said. "That's all there is to it. And so, you serve."
North Korea has conducted several tests of its missile program this year, including one on Monday that sent an ICBM over Japan.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.