Trump trying to 'divide' America —former Pentagon chief Mattis

Former Pentagon chief Jim Mattis issued a stinging condemnation of his erstwhile boss Donald Trump on Wednesday, accusing the president of trying to "divide" America.

"Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people -- does not even pretend to try," Mattis wrote in a statement posted online by The Atlantic.

"Instead, he tries to divide us," continues the retired Marine general, who had previously argued it would be inappropriate for him to criticize a sitting president. —Agence France-Presse