A group of former senior national security leaders have formally endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, describing her opponent Donald Trump as “impulsive,” “ill-informed” and “unfit.”
The National Security Leaders for America released a statement endorsing Harris on Sunday, signed by more than 700 members. The letter brands Trump as being “unfit” for the job of Commander-in-Chief, and a threat to the country’s democratic system.
“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,” the group’s statement said.
The nonprofit describes itself as a bipartisan group composed of retired generals, admirals, senior noncommissioned officers, ambassadors, and senior civilian national security leaders.
Its statement cites Trump’s false claims of election fraud and his attempts to undermine the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden in 2020, and notes that he has shown “no remorse for” his actions leading up to the January 6 Capitol attack “and has made clear he will not respect the results of the 2024 election should he lose again.”
“That alone proves Mr. Trump is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief.”
“The contrast with Mr. Trump is clear: where Vice President Harris is prepared and strategic, he is impulsive and ill-informed,” the letter said.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a news conference at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles on September 13, 2024. A group of former senior national security leaders have described him as “impulsive.”
Mario Tama/Getty Images
The statement goes on to cite Trump’s regular praise of dictators and authoritarians including China’s Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
It notes that by contrast, Trump has been adversarial toward “the leaders of our most steadfast allies, including the U.K, Israel, Australia, Canada, and Germany.”
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
The letter endorsing Harris was signed by 741 people, ranging from general officers to former high-ranking national security officials. Some served in Republican administrations, while some high-profile Democrats, including Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, are also among the signatories.
The letter notes that while the members of the group do not agree on everything, they adhere to two fundamental principles: that America’s national security requires a “serious and capable” leader and that American democracy is invaluable.
The National Security Leaders for America was founded in 2021 to help protect democracy, according to its website. The group says it is committed to endorsing political candidates who uphold these principles, regardless of party affiliation.
Since Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic Party‘s nominee, she has surged ahead in the polls and is generally performing ahead of Trump in key swing states.
She has also won the support of several Republicans, including more than 100 former officials who signed a letter describing Trump as “unfit” for office.
