The 66-year-old former four-star general met with Trump on Saturday to discuss a possible job offer as
Mattis, 66, is something of a legendary figure in the US military. Looked at as a warrior among Marines and well-respected by members of other services, he's been at the forefront of a number of engagements.
If you look back on his storied 44-year career leading Marines in battle, and the many colorful quotes that he has given over the years, it's pretty easy to see why.
We've gathered some of Mattis' best sayings, taken from this San Diego Union-Tribune profile, unless otherwise specified.
Geoffrey Ingersoll contributed reporting on a previous version of this article.