Describing the wedding as implausible, he said, "How many people go to the middle of the desert to hold a wedding 80 miles (130 km) from the nearest civilization?
In einer Pressekonferenz lehnte Mattis eine Entschuldigung ab und rechtfertigte den Angriff mit den Worten: “How many people go to the middle of the desert … to hold a wedding 80 miles (130 km) from the nearest civilisation?