pentagon correspondents hans nichols. president trump will visit the pentagon for the first time today as commander in chief. what kind of performance and appearance could we expect? we are expecting him to sign presidential directives and give the pentagon orders on how quickly they need to come up with plans to potentially accelerate the fight against isis. now, there is a lot out there in the ether and talking to one pentagon official here saying back and forth and you could arm the kurds directly in syria. that could accelerate the fight. and, you know, in general what we have here at the pentagon is everyone just trying to figure out what this new team wants. not just mattis because he is very familiar with them but what the entire trump national security agency really wants. there haveeen a couple of tips on that. on wednesday night, mattis went over to the white house, had dinner with trump, general dunford and general flynn. i think 11 stars between them, here is a little det
video conferences with the key cocommanders throughout there. it s always good to see you again, sir. again. there is an emphasis on familiarity. he knows this building. but to give you a sense of how much they like him here. buildi. to give you a sense how much they like him here. the story about him getting his hair cut at the pentagon barber cut, that makes the round and people like him. it s the kind of colorful detail we ve come to expert from you, hans. stay with us, thank you. some of the it s interesting, i feel like you worry some that mattis will be sort of out there if trump is making one comment on torture, there s the law on the other side then there s that middle ground. there s no doubt that trump has enormous respect for mattis and one has to wonder when he continues interview after interview to say here s my belief on torture. i believe it works. is he trying to box the general
first day at the pentagon? first half day? he had to take a urine test. that s right. he peeed in a cup. the second full day, he got a haircut at the pentagon barber. here is about the pentagon barber. you go there and you get one question. civilian or military is in the civilian haircut, i ve gotten one, no comment now is shorter and takes 60 seconds and cost 13 bucks. joe, do you tip on a 13-buck haircut? he do. hans, i think comfort in washington that general mattis is there as sort of a buffer to donald trump. is that the feeling inside the pentagon as well? it s the feeling inside the pentagon, particularly on this issue of torture. what mattis is telling people he gave both his word and his commitment and his opinion that torture doesn t work and that he is going to hold the line on that. in all of the conversations mattis is having he has had