In a polarized country, many Americans distrust opposing viewpoints, so the criticism of disgraced former President Donald Trump by those closest to him—including his family and friends, world leaders and business associates, his fellow conservatives and political appointees—is especially striking, as they risk so much to alert the nation about his character and fitness for office, but it has failed to knock him out of contention.
Half of Trump’s cabinet does not support his 2024 candidacy and many former White House officials or other top appointees who worked for Trump and served in his administration have openly endorsed Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential campaign.
As Trump appears in close to a potential second term, a growing chorus of voices from within his administration is ringing loud and clear: the former president is unfit for office.
Among those raising the alarm are seasoned military and national security experts, many of whom served under him. Their warnings echo a disturbing reality about Trump’s character and behavior, and they underscore a dire concern for the future of the nation.
More than 100 Republicans who served in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and/or Trump, or as Republican members of Congress endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee in a September 18, 2024 letter, while warning that their own party’s candidate is “unfit to serve again.”
“We firmly oppose the election of Donald Trump. As president, he promoted daily chaos in government, praised our enemies and undermined our allies, politicized the military and disparaged our veterans, prioritized his personal interest above American interests, and betrayed our values, democracy, and this country’s founding document,” the letter said.
Top advisors to John McCain and Mitt Romney are also among the growing list of Republicans speaking out against Trump.
Days later, more than 700 national security leaders and former military officials publicly endorsed Harris for president in a letter that called her a candidate who “defends America’s democratic ideals” and said Trump, was “unfit” for the job.
Harris has secured endorsements from Republican stalwarts like former CIA director Michael Hayden, former defense secretaries William Cohen and Chuck Hagel, and William Webster, a former CIA and FBI director under Reagan and the first Bush.
“This election is a choice between serious leadership and vengeful impulsiveness. It is a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Vice President Harris defends America’s democratic ideals, while former President Donald Trump endangers them,” said the national security and military experts. “We do not make such an assessment lightly. We are trained to make sober, rational decisions. That is how we know Vice President Harris would make an excellent Commander-in-Chief, while Mr. Trump has proven he is not up to the job.”
“Four years ago, President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain, and then-Gov. Mitt Romney alumni came together to warn fellow Republicans that re-electing President Trump would be a disaster for our nation,” said another letter signed by more than 200 Republicans who worked for those leaders. “In those declarations we stated the plain truth, each predicting that another four years of a Trump presidency would irreparably damage our beloved democracy. We made those announcements months before lies about a stolen election became everyday talking points and six months before Trump incited an insurrection, cheering on a mob of sore losers and sycophants as they tried to use force to overturn the will of the American public.”
On September 9, ten retired military officers, including six former generals and two admirals, released a letter in which they not only condemned Trump but also endorsed Harris as “the best — and only — presidential candidate in this race who is fit to serve as our commander-in-chief.”
Trump, the military chiefs wrote, “is a danger to our national security and our democracy. His own former National Security Advisors, Defense Secretaries, and Chiefs of Staff have said so.”
Mark T. Esper, the former Secretary of Defense, General Mark A. Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and John Bolton, Trump’s ex-national security adviser, are just a few high-profile Republicans who have openly criticized Trump’s fitness to lead.
These men, accustomed to navigating the treacherous waters of global security, have witnessed firsthand the chaos and instability that Trump brings.
Their denunciations are not merely political rhetoric; they are the concerns of individuals who have been in the trenches, observing Trump’s erratic decision-making processes and alarming tendencies.
Bolton, who served as Trump’s adviser during some of the most turbulent times in U.S. foreign policy, stated that another Trump presidency would cause “a lot of damage” and emphasized that “the only thing he cares about is Donald Trump.”
This perspective is shared by Milley, who has not shied away from calling Trump a “wannabe dictator.” In a book by journalist Bob Woodward, Milley referred to Trump as “fascist to the core,” a stark warning that underscores the seriousness of the threat he poses to democratic norms.
The insurrection of January 6, 2021, remains a significant scar on the nation, one that these former officials attribute directly to Trump’s incendiary rhetoric and refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.
Mike Pence, Trump’s former vice president, has similarly expressed his inability to endorse Trump, pointing out that the former president attempted to subvert the Constitution in a desperate bid to cling to power.
Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s former press secretary, argues that traditional conservatives are increasingly realizing they cannot support a leader who fundamentally undermines the values of the party. “When you’re actually talking to people… I just really know him and I’m able to give so many real-life examples of some of the stuff he’s done or said,” she explains.
Sarah Matthews, who resigned in the wake of the Capitol riots, passionately advocates for change, declaring, “There were a lot of people in the White House who know better than anyone.” These insiders, armed with intimate knowledge of Trump’s operations, pose a formidable challenge to his narrative and the unquestioning loyalty some in the GOP still exhibit.
It is troubling that some former Trump aides and officials who find themselves compelled to speak out against their former boss are not endorsing Harris, as if there is some other option.
Yet, the most alarming aspect of this unfolding drama is the sheer number of former Trump administration officials who refuse to support his reelection. Only 24 out of 42 Cabinet-level officials from Trump’s tenure have endorsed him, with many choosing to remain silent despite their known reservations.
John F. Kelly, a retired U.S. Marine Corps general who served from 2017 to 2019 as Trump’s White House chief of staff, has strong concerns about Trump’s fitness but feels frustrated that disclosure hasn’t swayed public opinion. “I came out and told people the awful things he said about wounded soldiers,” Kelly lamented, noting that such revelations barely registered with the electorate.
In a party increasingly defined by its loyalty to Trump, dissenting voices are being marginalized.
Republicans are scrambling to deploy allies like Nikki Haley, who has shifted from sharp critic to Trump supporter, reflecting the party’s struggle to reconcile its identity amid internal chaos.
As more Republicans come forward to voice their concerns, the question remains: How long can the GOP ignore the warnings from those who served at the highest levels? Will the party continue to back a leader whose actions threaten the very foundation of American democracy, or will it heed the counsel of those who know him best?
Geraldo Rivera, a long-time friend of Trump, recently endorsed Harris, citing Trump’s dangerous tendencies and unfounded claims about the 2020 election.
“He is a sore loser and he should not be trusted,” Rivera stated, encapsulating the disillusionment many former supporters feel.
As the 2024 election looms, it is imperative to recognize the brave stand taken by these former officials. Their warnings are not just partisan attacks but a plea for the preservation of democratic principles and a call to reject the divisive politics that threaten to unravel the nation.
At time, it seems like nobody likes Trump. Ahead of Trump’s appearance at a Pittsburgh Steelers game yesterday, Jerome Bettis, “Mean” Joe Greene and the family of the late Franco Harris all publicly endorsed his opponent.
But if so many Republicans believe he is unfit for office, and women are super charged over abortion rights and other factors that make life in America so fundamentally unfair to them, why is there any doubt that the United States is about to elect its first female president?
The choice before America is stark: will voters choose to ignore the counsel of those who have seen the inner workings of Trump’s presidency, or will they heed the warnings of a political rebellion from within?
The stakes have never been higher but it is a fair bet that Trump is going to win.