Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen visited Donna, Texas on Wednesday to meet with troops deployed at the border.
“We stand before you with mixed emotions,” Mattis told the troops.
The defense secretary told the troops to carry on, despite having to be away from their families during the holiday season. Mattis preached about loyalty and service, and about how the U.S. army serves as an example to the country as a whole. (RELATED: Mattis Talks Political Affiliation After Trump Called Him ‘Sort Of A Democrat’)
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrives to attend the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2017 graduation ceremony [Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images]
He talked about his experiences serving his country overseas, discussing the adversity he and his fellow troops often faced, and how loyalty to the country created a special bond that allowed them to overcome that adversity.
“Loyalty only matters when there’s 100 reasons not to be loyal,” Mattis said.
CALEXICO, CA – APRIL 18: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen addresses border agents before touring a replacement border fence construction site on April 18, 2018 in Calexico, California. [Photo by David McNew/Getty Images]
“The dynamic is unpredictable,” Mattis said.
Central American migrants -mostly Hondurans- moving in a caravan towards the United States, board buses to head to a shelter in the outskirts of Zapotlanejo, Jalisco state, Mexico, on November 11, 2018. [ULISES RUIZ/AFP/Getty Images]
“This Country is very welcoming, but we have to carry out the law,” Mattis said.
“Border security is national security,” Nielsen said.
