The group, some of whom already announced they would not vote for Trump, included former homeland security chiefs, intelligence directors, senior presidential advisors and a former U.S. trade representative. “Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a risky President and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being”.
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The latest Republicans to jump ship are a pair of former Environmental Protection Agency administrators who blasted Trump for having “shown a profound ignorance of science” and for dismissing climate change as a hoax.
The statement says Trump “weakens USA moral authority as the leader of the free world”.
“He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the US Constitution, US laws, and US institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary”.
The statement did not cite specific comments by Trump, but it clearly was a response to a series of remarks he has made questioning the need for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, expressing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for a temporary ban on immigration by Muslims, and inviting Russia to hack Clinton’s private email server – which he later said was a joke.
“He is unable or unwilling to separate truth from falsehood”, the group wrote, saying Trump possesses a set of “dangerous qualities” that should disqualify him from the presidency.
“He lacks self-control and acts impetuously”.
They warned that the political neophyte’s “erratic behavior” has alarmed America’s closest allies, adding that he fails to recognize the indispensable nature of such diplomatic relationships. “All of these are risky qualities in an individual who aspires to be President and Commander-in-Chief, with command of the United States nuclear arsenal”, they said. The statement was organized by Philip Zelikow, who had previously been an adviser to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Georgia last voted for a Democratic presidential nominee in 1992, when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush.
Trump responded with a statement deriding the signatories as members of “the failed Washington elite” who “deserve the blame for making the world such a unsafe place”.
Some of the latest letter’s signatories plan to vote for Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton while others will refuse to vote, but “all agree Trump is not qualified and would be risky”, said John B Bellinger III, a former legal adviser to Ms Rice who drafted the letter.
Yet despite these failures, they think they are entitled to use their favor trading to land taxpayer-funded government contracts and speaking fees. “Look at the mess we are in-whether it’s the Middle East or [anywhere] else and these were the people that have been there long time – Washington establishment people”, he said.
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“I offer a better vision for our country and our foreign policy – one that is not run by a ruling family dynasty”. They can’t get that money in – that money is going to come in. “Together, we will break up the rigged system in Washington, make America safe again, and we will make America great again”, he said.
