More than 700 US military and national security officials signed a letter declaring their support for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, saying Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump “endangers democratic ideals.”
Harris “stands for American democratic ideals,” the officials said in the letter on Sunday, according to Axios.
The signatories to the letter, drafted by America’s National Security Leaders Group, included former secretaries of state and defense, former ambassadors, and retired generals.
The letter criticized Trump for praising “hostile dictators” including Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Also among the signatories of the letter was former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served in the administration of former Democratic President Barack Obama. The officials said in the letter that Trump “endangers democratic ideals.”
“He threatens our democratic system” by calling for the “abolition” of parts of the US Constitution, the letter added, adding that his comments about being a dictator for a day were not reassuring.
The signatories said Trump “undermined confidence” in the election “by repeatedly telling lies without evidence” about “millions” of fraudulent votes, adding: “He has shown no remorse for trying to overturn the 2020 election on January 6, promised to pardon convicted offenders, and made clear that he will not honor the results of the 2024 election if he loses again.”
The letter continued: “This alone proves that Mr. Trump is unfit to be the commander in chief” of the country.
The signatories said, “Endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris is an endorsement of freedom and an act of patriotism. It is an endorsement of democratic ideals, of competence, and of relentless optimism about America’s future.”
Several polls show Harris leading Trump, including an NBC News poll Sunday that showed her leading nationally by 49 percent.
The letter comes days after more than 100 Republican national security leaders endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee, including nine staffers who served in the White House during the previous Republican president’s term.
A poll conducted by the American newspaper “Washington Post” also showed that Harris is slightly ahead of her Republican competitor in four swing states.
In contrast, Trump campaign communications director Stephen Cheung said in an emailed statement to Axios that those who endorsed Harris “are the same people who have led our country into endless foreign wars, and profited from them while the American people have suffered.”
He added that Trump “is the only (US) president in modern times who has not pushed our country into any new wars.”
Last updated: September 24, 2024 – 16:52
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2024-09-26 11:13:24