When Donald Trump pulled off the biggest political surprise in recent history, all eyes shifted to who he would surround himself with in the White House. While Trump has announced his cabinet and administration selections, not all of them appear to be on the same page.

Trump trouble

In the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump has announced who he will nominate to serve in his cabinet, with some of the selections coming under fire from the mainstream media. While some right-wing news outlets and supporters of the president-elect are pleased with the choices, the individuals chosen come with their own brand of controversy.

Two of those names are retired Gen. James Mattis, picked for Secretary of Defense, and retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who was selected as a national security advisor. As reported by The Washington Post on January 7, and later The Hill, the Trump team is now starting to clash.

According to The Washington Post, Michael Flynn and "Mad Dog" James Mattis are at odds, specifically over who will be picked to fill open slots at the Pentagon. Just days prior to Inauguration Day, Mattis' confirmation hearing will begin in the Senate. Leading up to that day, Mattis has continued to reject candidate after candidate that has been proposed to fill the open spots at the Pentagon, much to the chagrin of Flynn.

In further friction between the two, Michael Flynn reportedly tried to block James Mattis' nomination over jealously that he would be the higher ranking general in the administration. Other areas of difference include where the two men stand on issues with NATO, and Islamic terrorism. Where Flynn has pushed back and been critical of NATO allies for not "paying their bills," Mattis is a supporter of United States' relations with NATO.

On the issue of Islamic terrorism, there is also a divide. According to retired Army Lt. Gen. Dave Barno, Michael Flynn believes that Islamic terrorism is an "existential threat to the future of the United States," where James Mattis thinks otherwise.

Next up

This isn't the first time that there have been reports of dissension in the ranks at the Donald Trump transition team. Just days after the election, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was removed from his spot as the head of the transition team and replaced with Vice President-elect Mike Pence after a private clash with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Despite the animosity, the former host of "The Apprentice" will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20.
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