Between President Trump and American Service members is walking away. Defense secretary jim mattis is leaving the administration in what the New York Times calls an extraordinary rebuke of the president. From the washington post, the president has single handedly propelled the u. S. Government into crisis. The wall street journal editorialal board is sounding the alarm and former defense secretary and cia chief leon panetta says the constant state of chaos immediate may satisfy the president s need for attention, but it is raising hell with the country. Welcome to morning joe. It is friday, december 21st. With us, we have National Affairs analyst for nbc news and msnbc and cohost and executive producer of showtimes the circus john highlyman, republican strategist Susan Delpercio, author of the book a world in disarray richard haass, editor of commentary magazine and columnist New York Post john pedoritz, now chief international and security diplomacyist james stevritis and former u. S.