Ten Former Top U.S. Military Officials Support Harris, Label Trump ‘a Danger’

A group of ten retired senior U.S. military officials publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, declaring her the only presidential candidate qualified to lead as the nation’s commander in chief. They characterized her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, as “a danger to our national security and democracy.”

The letter, which included signatures from notable figures such as Retired General Larry Ellis and Retired Rear Admiral Michael Smith, pointed to Trump’s critical remarks about military personnel and his erratic management of the Afghanistan withdrawal. They criticized a deal he made with the Taliban that permitted 5,000 fighters to return to combat.

In contrast, the officials praised Harris for her capability to tackle significant national security issues, from responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to addressing escalating tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific region. They asserted that Harris “is the best — and only — presidential candidate in this race who is fit to serve as our commander in chief.”

As both Harris and Trump, who served as president from 2017 to early 2021, prepare for a tight competition leading up to the November 5 election, the letter aligns with the release of a new Harris campaign advertisement. This ad features former Trump administration officials warning that a second Trump presidency would bring substantial risks.

The advertisement highlights concerns from Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, along with former Defense Secretary Mike Esper, former national security adviser John Bolton, and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, emphasizing that Trump is unfit to assume the presidency again.

The endorsement letter was also timed with a congressional ceremony hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, which honors the 13 service members who lost their lives during the Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021. Trump and his Republican allies have sought to hold Harris accountable for the withdrawal, coinciding with a recent congress report.

The retired military officials in their letter criticized Trump for failing to take responsibility for endangering service members, highlighting his decision to release Taliban fighters without involving the Afghan government and for leaving no withdrawal plan after exiting office following his loss in the 2020 election.