A new letter says 10 retired US generals and admirals are endorsing Vice President Harris and warning against choosing former President Trump in the next election.
The letter from the National Security Leadership Council first states:Axios reported:The former officers wrote that Harris is the only presidential candidate fit to be commander in chief, while describing Trump as “a danger to our national security and democracy.”
“Harris has demonstrated her ability to tackle some of the toughest national security challenges in the Situation Room and on the global stage, from rallying allies against Russia's brutal aggression in Ukraine to standing shoulder to shoulder with allies in the Indo-Pacific region against China's provocative actions to advancing American leadership in space and artificial intelligence,” they wrote.
She added that while Harris is a staunch supporter of military personnel, veterans and their families, Trump “constantly disrespects those who serve in uniform, including wounded soldiers, prisoners of war and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The letter also includes the names of three four-star generals, Admiral Steve Abbott, Gen. Lloyd W. Newton and Gen. Larry R. Ellis, former vice president for homeland security in the George W. Bush administration.
The former military leaders have highlighted the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021 and blamed Trump for leaving Presidents Biden and Harris with no plan to implement the withdrawal after the Trump administration struck a deal with the Taliban to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
“This disorganized approach has severely hindered the Biden-Harris Administration's ability to execute the most orderly withdrawal possible and put our service members and allies at risk,” they wrote.
Trump and House Republicans have made the withdrawal from Afghanistan a primary focus of their attacks against Harris, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee released a report this week criticizing Biden for a hasty effort carried out against the advice of allies and advisers that led to the needless deaths of 13 U.S. troops in a suicide bombing.
The report, released three years after the US withdrawal, highlights Harris' involvement in the decision, noting that she “appeared to have worked in concert” with Biden, but offers little detail about her specific role in planning or executing the withdrawal.
Trump also sought to highlight Harris' participation in the Afghanistan withdrawal when he stopped at Arlington National Cemetery on the campaign trail to visit the graves of Marines killed in a suicide bombing. The visit drew criticism from the Harris campaign and some veterans after cemetery officials said Trump had violated rules banning campaign-related activities at the cemetery.
Meanwhile, the White House has defended Biden's decision to withdraw, accusing leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of leaving out key details and failing to explain the Trump administration's role in the deadly withdrawal.
President Trump and Senator Harris are scheduled to debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, a first for either party.
