More than 700 current and former national security officials, as well as former military officials, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in a letter released Sunday, saying she alone has the temperament and values to serve as commander in chief.
Among the signatories to the letter, organized by the group National Security Leaders for America, are former secretaries of state and defense, former ambassadors and retired generals. They argued that former President Donald J. Trump poses a threat to both national security and the democratic system of the United States.
Among the best-known names are former defense secretaries Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served under President Barack Obama; William Cohen, a Republican who served under President Bill Clinton; and William J. Perry, a Democrat who served under Mr. Clinton.
Former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, as well as former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, also signed the letter, although their support for Ms. Harris was already clear.
Former military leaders who signed the letter included Rear Adm. Michael E. Smith, chairman of the organization that issued the letter, and Gen. Michael V. Hayden, who headed the CIA under President George W. Bush.
“This election is a choice between serious leadership and vengeful impulsiveness,” the letter reads. “It is a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Vice President Harris defends America’s democratic ideals, while former President Donald Trump endangers them.”
“We don’t take these kinds of decisions lightly. We’re trained to make thoughtful, rational decisions,” he added. “We know that effective leadership requires deep knowledge, deep thinking, understanding your opponents and empathy for those you lead. You have to listen to those who have expertise and not dismiss them when they disagree with you.”
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr Trump, said the signatories were “the same people who have dragged our country into endless foreign wars and profited from them while the American people suffered”.
