Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a 바카라threat to democracy.바카라 Former national security adviser John Bolton has declared him 바카라unfit to be president.바카라 And former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing 바카라profound differences.바카라
As Donald Trump seeks the presidency for a third time, he is being vigorously opposed by a vocal contingent of former officials who are stridently warning against his return to power and offering dire predictions for the country and the rule of law if his campaign succeeds.
It바카라s a striking chorus of detractors, one without precedent in the modern era, coming from those who witnessed first-hand his conduct in office and the turmoil that followed.
Sarah Matthews, a former Trump aide who testified before the House Jan. 6 committee and is among those warning about the threat he poses, said it바카라s 바카라mind-boggling바카라 how many members of his senior staff have denounced him.
바카라These are folks who saw him up close and personal and saw his leadership style,바카라 Matthews said.
바카라The American people should listen to what these folks are saying because it should be alarming that the people that Trump hired to work for him a first term are saying that he바카라s unfit to serve for a second term.바카라
Yet the critics remain a distinct minority. Republican lawmakers and officials across the party have endorsed Trump바카라s bid 바카라 some begrudgingly, others with fervor and enthusiasm. Many aides and Cabinet officials who served under Trump are onboard for another term, something Trump바카라s campaign is quick to highlight.
바카라The majority of the people who served in President Trump바카라s cabinet and in his administration, like the majority of Americans, have overwhelmingly endorsed his candidacy to beat Crooked Joe Biden and take back the White House,바카라 said Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung.
Still, the Biden campaign has trumpeted the criticism of former Trump officials in statements and social media posts, hoping to convince at least some Republican voters 바카라 including those who backed other candidates during the GOP primary 바카라 that they cannot support his candidacy.
바카라Those who worked with Donald Trump at the most senior levels of his administration believe he is too dangerous, too selfish and too extreme to ever lead our country again 바카라 we agree,바카라 said Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa.
In many ways, the schism among former Trump officials is an extension of his time in the White House. Friction was constant as Trump바카라s demands ran into resistance from some officials and aides who refused requests that they found misguided, unrealistic and, at times, flatly illegal. Firings were frequent. Many quit.
Staff upheaval was particularly intense in the chaotic weeks after the 2020 election as Trump worked to overturn his election loss to Biden. Trump summoned supporters to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, as his falsehoods about a stolen election became the rallying cry for supporters who violently breached the U.S. Capitol. Many people serving in the administration quit in protest, including Matthews.
Trump바카라s attempt to remain in office included a bitter pressure campaign against Pence, who as vice president was tasked with presiding over the count of the Electoral College ballots on Jan. 6. Trump was adamant that Pence should prevent Biden from becoming president, something he had no power to do. Pence had to flee the Senate chamber on Jan. 6 as rioters stormed the building to chants of 바카라Hang Mike Pence!바카라
Pence recently said he 바카라cannot in good conscience바카라 endorse Trump because of Jan. 6 and other issues, despite being proud of what they achieved together.
And Pence is not alone.
Esper, who was fired by Trump days after the 2020 election, clashed with the then-president over several issues, including Trump바카라s push to deploy military troops to respond to civil unrest after the killing of George Floyd by police in 2020.
In a recent interview with HBO바카라s 바카라Real Time With Bill Maher,바카라 Esper repeated a warning that Trump is 바카라a threat to democracy바카라 and added, 바카라I think there바카라s a lot to be concerned about.바카라
바카라There바카라s no way I바카라ll vote for Trump, but every day that Trump does something crazy, the door to voting for Biden opens a little bit more, and that바카라s where I바카라m at,바카라 Esper said.
Among Trump바카라s most vocal critics are former aides who worked closely with him in the White House, particularly a trio who gained prominence testifying about the Jan. 6 attack and Trump바카라s push to overturn the election.
The group includes Matthews, former Trump White House communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin and Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top aide to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows. They have given a series of interviews in recent months opposing their former boss.
바카라Fundamentally, a second Trump term could mean the end of American democracy as we know it, and I don바카라t say that lightly,바카라 Griffin told ABC in December.
John Kelly, Trump바카라s former chief of staff, had his own long falling-out with Trump. Kelly, in a lengthy October statement to CNN, described Trump as 바카라a person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators바카라 and 바카라has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.바카라
Olivia Troye, a former Pence adviser who left the White House in 2020, and former press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who resigned Jan. 6, are both outspoken critics who said they didn바카라t vote for Trump in 2020.
Even Bill Barr, Trump바카라s former attorney general who has not ruled out voting for him again, has referred to Trump as 바카라a consummate narcissist바카라 who 바카라constantly engages in reckless conduct that puts his political followers at risk and the conservative and Republican agenda at risk.바카라
Still, the ranks of former Trump officials opposing his bid are greatly outnumbered by those who are supportive.
Linda McMahon, who headed the Small Business Administration under Trump, is co-chairing a major fundraiser for the former president on Saturday in Florida, along with former Trump Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
McMahon is also chair of the board of The America First Policy Institute, which is packed with supportive former Trump officials and has been described as an 바카라administration in waiting바카라 for a second Trump term.
The institute is headed by Brooke Rollins, Trump바카라s former domestic policy chief, and counts Pence바카라s national security adviser and retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg among its chairs, along with former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Trump바카라s U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, and former National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow.
Former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has campaigned for Trump, as has former Housing Secretary Ben Carson, who called him 바카라a friend of America.바카라
Trump바카라s also got the backing of former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, former Interior Secretary and Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, and Russell Vought, who ran Trump바카라s Office of Management and Budget.
Vought said in a post on X that Trump is 바카라the only person I trust to take a wrecking ball to the Deep State.바카라
Trump supporters are also quick to dismiss critics in the party.
Carmen McVane, who attended Trump바카라s rally Tuesday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said those who speak negatively against Trump or refuse to endorse are RINOs, or Republicans In Name Only, and will only help Biden and Democrats.
바카라There바카라s a lot of RINOs who don바카라t do what they바카라re supposed to do,바카라 McVane said. 바카라It바카라s time for everyone to back who we have and go full force ahead.바카라
