Washington – A group of more than 70 national security officials who serve in Republican administrations slammed their support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and warned that President Trump “lacks the character and competence to lead this nation.”
In a statement signed by the officials, which includes former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, former CIA and director of National Security Agency Michael Hayden and former director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, the group outlines 10 reasons why Mr. Trump ” our country has failed. “
The statement comes hours before Biden is set to deliver his speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination, which will close the Democratic National Convention.
“While we – like all Americans – had hoped that Donald Trump would rule wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who have placed their trust in him and shown that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term,” the officials wrote . “In contrast, we believe Joe Biden has the character, experience and temperament to lead this nation.”
Among the accusations made by Mr. Trump in the statement are the turnover among top national security officials who serve in the administration, his praise for dictators such as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and his handling of the crisis in coronavirus. The group of national security officials also cites his recent attacks on voice-by-post and unfounded claims that it leads to voter fraud, as well as his attacks on immigrants.
“While some of us have policy positions that differ from those of Joe Biden and his party, the time to debate these policy differences will come later,” she wrote. “For now, we need to stop Trump’s attack on the value and institutions of our nation and re-establish the moral foundations of our democracy.”
Those officials who support Biden include several who have served in the Trump administration, such as John Mitnick, the former general counsel at the Homeland Security Department who was fired in September, and Miles Taylor, the former chief of staff at the office. Taylor, who left the Homeland Security Department in 2019, recorded an ad for the group of Republican voters against Trump who mocked Mr. Trump and called his presidency “terrible.”
Republicans who bowed to their party and opposed Mr Trump in his bid for re-election can be seen in the entire weekly Democratic National Convention, which began Monday. On the first night of the convention, four Republicans, including former Ohio Governor John Kasich Biden, and on the second night, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who served in several Republican administrations, announced his support for Biden.
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