“Mattis has been sharply critical of President Barack Obama's policies on Iran and Obama's capping of troop numbers and campaign end-dates in theaters of war such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Mattis also appears to be a skeptic of the Obama-era policy of putting women into combat roles.”

American journalist and national security analyst Bergen is a leading voice on terrorism and geopolitics, known for his work as CNN’s chief national security correspondent and as a senior director at the New America Foundation. His books and reporting have shaped public understanding of conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond.