The Establishment is melting down after the sudden resignation by Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Thursday. Talk of impeachment, coups, and suicide abound over fears that Mattis was the last ‘adult’ keeping President Trump in check. Mattis resigned as Trump moved to assert mastery over his presidency this week in key areas after nearly two years on the job.

New York Times banner headline on Mattis resignation.

Former AFP White House reporter Andrew Beatty wrote that nearly anywhere else Trump would forced out of office by a military coup, “Syria withdrawal, Afghanistan draw down, Mattis gone, govt shutdown looming, President making decisions on the fly. Almost any other place in the world the guys in camouflage would be at the TV station by now.”

Syria withdrawal, Afghanistan draw down, Mattis gone, govt shutdown looming, President making decisions on the fly. Almost any other place in the world the guys in camouflage would be at the TV station by now. — Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) December 21, 2018

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Conservative commentator Erick Erickson passive/aggressively called for a coup, “If we lived in a lesser country than our great nation, today is the day we really would be talking about a military coup. Soldiers down to the enlisted ranks are raising hell about the President’s Syria decision.”

If we lived in a lesser country than our great nation, today is the day we really would be talking about a military coup. Soldiers down to the enlisted ranks are raising hell about the President's Syria decision. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) December 21, 2018

Foreign Policy Pentagon reporter Lara Seligman wrote the press corp is contemplating suicide over Mattis’ resignation, “I think I speak for all national security reporters tonight when I say I’m about ready to jump off a cliff. But at least I already wrote the “who will replace Mattis” story two months (only two months?????) ago @ ForeignPolicy“

I think I speak for all national security reporters tonight when I say I’m about ready to jump off a cliff. But at least I already wrote the “who will replace Mattis” story two months (only two months?????) ago @ForeignPolicy https://t.co/CzZOU4vyt2 — Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) December 21, 2018

The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin called for Trump to be impeached and removed from office, “it is time for Senate Republicans to seriously consider removing Trump in the event the House moves to impeach. Trump is a menace to our democracy and national security”

it is time for Senate Republicans to seriously consider removing Trump in the event the House moves to impeach. Trump is a menace to our democracy and national security https://t.co/YnHJnbvpNj — Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) December 21, 2018

The Washington Post’s Matt Viser made a play on the winter solstice tomorrow, “Tomorrow is the darkest day of the year.”

Tomorrow is the darkest day of the year. — Matt Viser (@mviser) December 21, 2018

Veteran Hollywood actor Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore Show and the move Elf), “With Mattis’ departure could we be seeing the first steps of a coup?”

With Mattis’ departure could we be seeing the first steps of a coup? — Ed Asner (@TheOnlyEdAsner) December 21, 2018

The Wall Street Journal reported a Pentagon official saying, “We are on the edge,” “Lawmakers and Pentagon officials said tonight that they were shaken by Mattis‘s departure and what it could mean for the U.S. military and the nation’s national-security strategy. “We are on the edge,” one Pentagon official said. “This is unbelievable.”

Lawmakers and Pentagon officials said tonight that they were shaken by Mattis's departure and what it could mean for the U.S. military and the nation's national-security strategy. “We are on the edge,” one Pentagon official said. “This is unbelievable.” https://t.co/tQV3zRasEl — Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) December 21, 2018

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said Mattis’ resignation is his worst nightmare:

Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Mattis resignation: "This decision to resign is virtually our worst nightmare… on the Armed Services Committee." https://t.co/Bd79j1EFWf pic.twitter.com/zkd8TYnNxS — The Hill (@thehill) December 21, 2018

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) is scared, “This is scary. Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration. As we’ve seen with the President’s haphazard approach to Syria, our national defense is too important to be subjected to the President’s erratic whims.”

This is scary. Secretary Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration. As we’ve seen with the President’s haphazard approach to Syria, our national defense is too important to be subjected to the President’s erratic whims. https://t.co/9qPluSGLUc — Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) December 20, 2018

House Speaker-designate Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said she was “shaken and “concerned”. “General Mattis was a comfort to many who were concerned about the path the Trump Admin would choose to take. His resignation letter is defined by statements of principle — principles that drove him to leave the Administration. All of us should be concerned at this time.”

General Mattis was a comfort to many who were concerned about the path the Trump Admin would choose to take. His resignation letter is defined by statements of principle — principles that drove him to leave the Administration. All of us should be concerned at this time. — Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) December 21, 2018

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) joined Pelosi in expressing concerns about Mattis resigning.

Just asked Pelosi about her comments about being "shaken" by Mattis resignation "This is very serious for our country," she said. "There is something very wrong with this picture" "This week was one of the most chaotic weeks we've ever seen in American government," Schumer said pic.twitter.com/p8814PbIXW — Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 21, 2018

The Washington Post reported a former senior administration official saying, “”There’s going to be an intervention. Jim Mattis just sent a shot across the bow. He’s the most credible member of the administration by five grades of magnitude. He’s the steady, safe set of hands. And this letter is brutal.He quit because of the madness”

”There’s going to be an intervention. Jim Mattis just sent a shot across the bow. He’s the most credible member of the administration by five grades of magnitude. He’s the steady, safe set of hands. And this letter is brutal.He quit because of the madness” https://t.co/OlobCcadw3 — Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) December 21, 2018

More Washington Post, “A sad day for America’: Washington fears a Trump unchecked by Mattis”

A sad day for America’: Washington fears a Trump unchecked by Mattis https://t.co/k22VxDAQRz — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 21, 2018

CNN reported D.C. is shaken and scared, “Shaken, saddened, scared: Washington erupts over the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis”

Shaken, saddened, scared: Washington erupts over the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis https://t.co/U8pDaj890b pic.twitter.com/DjNhu1aRop — CNN (@CNN) December 21, 2018

Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe fears a Trump nuclear war with Mattis gone, “Yes: this. Retweet if you were hoping a grownup like Jim Mattis would stand between Trump and the nuclear codes.”