U.S. President-elect Donald Trump chose retired Marine General James Mattis for defense secretary, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing unidentified sources.The newspaper said the announcement was likely to be made early next week.The 66-year-old Mattis, who called Trump "the real deal" after their meeting, is a retired Marine Corps general who led the US Central Command from 2010-2013, overseeing the US withdrawal from Iraq and a surge in Afghanistan.

A colorful combat commander and voracious reader, he has been quoted as saying, "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet."