Lots of Republicans seem to be seeing the light: Trump is a danger to this country. The rubes out there are still acting like sheep, however, swallowing every word Agent Orange utters as gospel. Considering that so many Republicans will still vote for party over country, it suggests that we have a large mental health crisis. I can understand loyalty to your party, but with Trump?! Grow the fuck up, people. Try to locate your brains before you totally embarrass yourselves.
13 Ex-Trump Aides Back Kelly's 'Dictator' Warning, Saying Trump Seeks 'Absolute, Unchecked Power'
In a letter, the former aides wrote, “For the good of our country, our democracy, and our Constitution, we are asking you to listen closely and carefully to General Kelly’s warning.”
by Tim Balk, New York Times
Oct 24, 2024
Thirteen former Trump administration officials released an open letter on Friday amplifying warnings from John F. Kelly, Donald J. Trump’s longest-serving White House chief of staff, that the former president would rule like a dictator if he returned to office.
The former officials wrote that they were shocked but “not surprised” after Mr. Kelly, a former Marine general, told The New York Times that Mr. Trump had said more than once that “Hitler did some good things” and had complained that U.S. generals were not sufficiently loyal to him.
“This is who Donald Trump is,” wrote the 13, all “lifelong Republicans,” according to the letter. “Donald Trump’s disdain for the American military and admiration for dictators like Hitler is rooted in his desire for absolute, unchecked power.”
The letter did not describe any of the former officials hearing Mr. Trump speaking glowingly of Hitler, the Nazi dictator who presided over the systematic slaughter of six million Jews and millions of others.
But the letter said its signers had “witnessed, up close and personal, how Donald Trump operates and what he is capable of.”
“The American people deserve a leader who won’t threaten to turn armed troops against them, won’t put his quest for power above their needs, and doesn’t idealize the likes of Adolf Hitler,” the letter said.
In his comments to The Times, Mr. Kelly described Mr. Trump’s appreciation of history as limited, and he recalled attempting to explain to the president why it was problematic to praise Hitler. Still, Mr. Kelly said, Mr. Trump continued to make positive comments about Hitler.
In this year’s election, Mr. Trump has described Democrats, some by name, as the “enemy from within” and has contemplated deploying the National Guard to address the threat he claims they could pose.
The letter, organized on Wednesday after Mr. Kelly’s comments were published in The Times on Tuesday, was signed by several outspoken Harris supporters, including two who gave speeches at the Democratic National Convention: Stephanie Grisham, a former Trump White House press secretary, and Olivia Troye, who was an adviser to Mr. Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence.
Other signers included Anthony Scaramucci, who had a memorable 10-day run as communications director in the Trump White House; Brooke Vosburgh Alexander, who was a top aide in the Commerce Department; Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served as Mr. Pence’s press secretary; Mark Harvey and Peter Jennison, who worked on the National Security Council; Sarah Matthews, a former deputy White House press secretary; and Robert Riley, who was the U.S. ambassador to Micronesia.
Three former Homeland Security Department officials also signed the letter: Kevin Carroll, Elizabeth Neumann and Sofia Kinzinger, who is married to former Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of the most vocal Republican opponents of Mr. Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“For the good of our country, our democracy, and our Constitution, we are asking you to listen closely and carefully to General Kelly’s warning,” they wrote.
Here is the letter:
October 24, 2024
Yesterday, General John Kelly –-a retired four-star general and Donald Trump's former White House Chiefof Staff- told the American people what those of us who served in the Trump Administration have seen up close: Donald Trump is increasingly unstable, unfit to serve, and his second term would be more dangerous.
The revelations General Kelly brought forward are disturbing and shocking. But because we know Trump and haveworked for and alongside him, we were sadly not surprised by what General Kelly had to say. This is who Donald Trump is.
Donald Trump's disdain for the American military and admiration for dictators like Hitler is rooted in his desire for absolute, unchecked power. This is a man who threw his own VicePresident – Mike Pence – at a violent mob in a desperate bid to hold on to power. When Donald Trump says he wants to be a "dictator" on "day one" and deploy the military against American citizens he deems “the enemy from within" - he meansit.
General Kelly noted he is speaking out because of Trump's recent comments about using the military against our fellow Americans Trump deems the “enemy from within. ” General Kelly highlighted Trump's dreams of being an authoritarian, saying Trump “ certainly prefers the dictator approach to government" and that Trump fits “into the general definition of fascist. ” General Kelly also made sure to emphasize Trump's infatuation with Adolf Hitler, saying that Trump “commented more than once that, 'Youknow, Hitler did some good things, too."
We applaud General Kelly for highlighting in stark details the danger of a second Trump term. Like General Kelly, we did not take the decision to come forward lightly. We are all lifelong Republicans who served our country. However, there are moments in history where it becomes necessary toputcountry over party. This is one ofthose moments.
Everyone should heed General Kelly's warning. We have witnessed, up close and personal, how Donald Trump operates and what he is capable of. The American people deserve a leader who won't threaten to turn armed troops against them, won't put his quest for power above their needs, and doesn't idealize the likes ofAdolf Hitler. Donald Trump demonstrates every day he is not capable of being commander in chief of this great nation.
In a second term, those who once tried to prevent Donald Trump from his worst impulses will no longer be there to rein him in. For the good ofour country, our democracy, and our Constitution, we are asking you to listen closely and carefully to General Kelly's warning. We unfortunately know all too well how serious and dire it is.
Brooke Vosburgh Alexander Former Executive Assistant to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross
Kevin Carroll Former Senior Counselor to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly
Alyssa Farah Griffin Former Press Secretary for the Vice President and Special Assistant to the President
Stephanie Grisham Former White House Press Secretary
Mark Harvey Former Special Assistant to the President
Peter Jennison Former Director for Preparedness, National Security Council
Sofia Kinzinger Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Dept. of Homeland Security
Sarah Matthews Former Deputy White House Press Secretary
Elizabeth Neumann Former Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security
Robert Riley Former Ambassador to Micronesia
Anthony Scaramucci Former White House Director of Communications
Miles Taylor Former Chief of Staff, Dept. of Homeland Security
Olivia Troye Former National Security Advisor to the Vice President
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