President Trump and his administration have been called many things during the past two years in Washington, but lacking confidence and not being transparent are not among them. The commander in chief is quick to counterpunch the opposition or tell anyone what he thinks. Defense Secretary James Mattis reflects the same straight-arrow approach.

Last week the two leaders offered their no-nonsense commentary on the migrant caravans headed to our southern border.

First came Mattis’ response to a reporter’s suggestion that the deployment of thousands of active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border is part of a political stunt in advance of Tuesday’s midterm elections.

“We don’t do stunts in this department,” Mattis rapidly replied.

Mattis explained that the deployment was to provide “practical support” to the Department of Homeland Security and was based on a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

While stumping for a Democratic candidate later in the week, Barack Obama also used the term “stunt” in describing the border action, adding that sending in the military was a misuse of federal troops.

Obama’s criticism followed Trump’s tough immigration speech at the White House, where he explained that asylum-seekers will be required to “lawfully present themselves” at a port of entry. This was in response to what the president called the “crisis at our southern border” and a surge of fraudulent asylum claims. Under Trump’s proposal, asylum claims made by migrants caught crossing the border illegally would be summarily denied.

Trump called the thousands of migrants in the approaching caravans from Central America “not legitimate asylum-seekers” because most of them have not decided to remain in Mexico and pursue asylum there.

“Asylum is not a program for people living in poverty,” he said.

The president also said throwing rocks would be considered the same as using a firearm against our military.

“We’re not going to put up with that,” he warned. “They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. I told them to consider it a rifle.”

While Trump has sharpened many positions after gaining the White House, Mattis’ tough approach dates back to his military service, when he was called “the Warrior Monk” or “Mad Dog.”

During one interview on “Face the Nation,” Mattis was once asked what keeps him awake at night.

“Nothing,” he responded. “I keep other people awake at night.

“I don’t have worry and stress,” he added. “I cause worry and stress.”

When asked in another interview if he loses any sleep at night over the potential for failure, Mattis said he cannot even spell that word since it was not in his vocabulary. That kind of direct, blunt talk impressed Trump.

Mattis did show his introspective side during a 2004 speech at the Naval Academy.

“Engage your brain before you engage your weapon,” he told the midshipmen.

And just hours before the kickoff on the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Mattis sent this advice to his Marine unit: “While we will move swiftly and aggressively against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency, demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have endured a lifetime under Saddam’s oppression.”

As Michael Douglas, who played the fictional President Andrew Shepherd in the 1995 movie “The American President,” stated, “We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them.”

In today’s real world, it’s vital to have that kind of strong leadership in this administration.

By Jim Zbick | tneditor@tnonline.com