50 GOP officials: Trump would be 'most reckless President in American history'
Dozens of Republican security officials signed a letter on Monday calling a potential Donald Trump presidency dangerous and saying he would be "the most reckless President in American history."
Trump dismissed the letter as the "politically-motivated" work of the architects of many "disastrous" foreign policy decisions.
The list of 50 former national security officials who served in Republican administrations “from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush” announced that they would not vote for the Republican nominee in a letter first reported by The New York Times.
“From a foreign policy perspective, Donald Trump is not qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief. Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a dangerous President and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being.
Most fundamentally, Mr. Trump lacks the character, values, and experience to be President. He weakens U.S. moral authority as the leader of the free world. He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws, and U.S. institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary.
In addition, Mr. Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has little understanding of America’s vital national interests, its complex diplomatic challenges, its indispensable alliances, and the democratic values on which U.S. foreign policy must be based. At the same time, he persistently compliments our adversaries and threatens our allies and friends. Unlike previous Presidents who had limited experience in foreign affairs, Mr. Trump has shown no interest in educating himself. He continues to display an alarming ignorance of basic facts of contemporary international politics. Despite his lack of knowledge, Mr. Trump claims that he understands foreign affairs and ‘knows more about ISIS than the generals do.’”
The letter says that none of the 50 officials will vote for Trump. However the writers also did not endorse Hillary Clinton and said they had doubts about her.
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“We understand that many Americans are profoundly frustrated with the federal government and its inability to solve pressing domestic and international problems. We also know that many have doubts about Hillary Clinton, as do many of us. But Donald Trump is not the answer to America’s daunting challenges and to this crucial election. We are convinced that in the Oval Office, he would be the most reckless President in American history.”
The full letter is here.
The letter follows a series of high-profile Republicans and aides who have announced they will not support Trump — some have even said they’ll vote for Clinton. On Monday alone, former Michigan Gov. William Milliken and Lezlee Westine, a former deputy assistant to President George W. Bush, announced they would be backing the Democratic nominee.
In a statement late Monday, Trump said "The names on this letter are the ones the American people should look to for answers on why the world is a mess, and we thank them for coming forward so everyone in the country knows who deserves the blame for making the world such a dangerous place. They are nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power, and it’s time they are held accountable for their actions."