Former national security officials say reelecting Trump would have 'catastrophic results'

Donald Trump is once again facing criticism from former national security officials.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of more than 80 former national security officials released a letter criticizing Trump’s tenure in the White House and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for president in 2020.

Trump “has created an existential danger to the United States, its place in the world, and the values we share,” the letter stated. “His reelection would continue this downward spiral, and will likely have catastrophic results. Democracy itself is at stake.”

The officials wrote that the “nation’s foreign affairs are in disarray, our alliances frayed, and our national prestige declining.” They also said that America’s “place in the world as a source of moral leadership has nearly been lost,” and “we are increasingly less secure and less safe.”

The group endorsed Biden, stating, “We believe our Country is in grave danger” and noting Biden is “best suited to reverse the course of American national security decline.”

Before serving as President Obama’s vice president, Biden spent more than three decades in the Senate, including serving as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The letter was first reported by the Washington Post. It was signed by several high-profile names, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who has served under a number of different administrations both Republican and Democratic, as well as former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, who served under Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Carter.

This is not the first time a group of national security experts have been critical of Trump.

In September 2019, a group of 300 national security experts, including officials who had served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, released a letter condemning Trump’s actions toward Ukraine.

“President Trump appears to have leveraged the authority and resources of the highest office in the land to invite additional foreign interference into our democratic processes,” the letter stated. “That would constitute an unconscionable abuse of power. It also would represent an effort to subordinate America’s national interests — and those of our closest allies and partners — to the President’s personal political interest.”

The House of Representatives impeached Trump for abuse of power over those actions three months later.

Earlier, in 2018, a group of 175 national security experts criticized Trump for stripping security clearance away from former CIA Director John Brennan after Brennan was critical of Trump.

The letter stated that “the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views.”

Biden is currently the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, leading Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in both the popular vote and pledged delegates.

In recent national polls, Biden holds a strong lead over Trump. A Sunday NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll had Biden beating Trump by a 52-43 margin, while a March 9 CNN poll had Biden leading 53-43.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.