WASHINGTON, D.C.: From housing undocumented migrants to scrapping joint exercises with South Korea or setting up a new Space Force -- US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, one-time favorite of Donald Trump, now finds himself reduced to carrying out presidential orders despite his disapproval.

US media say that the retired Marine general has been demoted in Washington's power circles by the arrival of former CIA chief Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, replacing the far-less active Rex Tillerson, and by the appointment of the hawkish John Bolton as national security adviser.

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