Defense Secretary James Mattis James Norman MattisBiden courts veterans amid fallout from Trump military controversies Trump says he wanted to take out Syria's Assad but Mattis opposed it Gary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November MORE said he does not carry tokens of gratitude to hand out to U.S. troops, saying “I’m saving money for bombs.”

Mattis made the comment to Breitbart News after a reporter relayed a message from a U.S. Marine who asked whether the secretary was carrying challenge coins during a trip to an international terrorism conference in Jordan earlier this year.

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Defense leaders often carry the coins and hand them out to servicemen and women as a sign of their gratitude.

The anecdote comes as the Trump administration approaches its one-year mark.

Mattis was overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate in a 98-1 vote earlier this year.

He has had an eventful year as Defense secretary, dealing with a slew of issues from the growing crisis in North Korea to President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE's proposed ban on transgender recruits in the military.

The Defense secretary issued a stark warning in September to North Korea, telling the country it would be met with a "massive military response" if it continued to threaten the U.S. and its allies.