Over 70 Republican national security officials come out in support of Biden: 'We will vote for him'

More than 70 former Republican national security officials — including a few former members of the Trump administration — came out in support of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, on Thursday. In an open letter posted on the Defending Democracy Together website, the officials strongly criticized President Trump's first term in office and stressed that it's in the best interest of our nation to vote for the former vice-president in November. "We are former national security officials who served during the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and/or Donald Trump, or as Republican Members of Congress," they began.

"We are profoundly concerned about the course of our nation under the leadership of Donald Trump. Through his actions and his rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated that he lacks the character and competence to lead this nation and has engaged in corrupt behavior that renders him unfit to serve as President. For the following reasons, we have concluded that Donald Trump has failed our country and that Vice President Joe Biden should be elected the next President of the United States," the officials wrote, going on to list 10 points explaining why they will be supporting Biden in the upcoming presidential election.

"​Donald Trump has gravely damaged America’s role as a world leader. Trump has disgraced America’s global reputation and undermined our nation’s moral and diplomatic influence. He has called NATO “obsolete,” branded Europe a “foe,” mocked the leaders of America’s closest friends, and threatened to terminate longstanding US alliances. Other global leaders, friends and foes alike, view him as unreliable, unstable, and unworthy of respect," they wrote. "Donald Trump has shown that he is unfit to lead during a national crisis. Instead of rallying the American people and the world to confront the coronavirus, Trump has spent the past half-year spreading misinformation, undermining public health experts, attacking state and local officials, and wallowing in self-pity. He has demonstrated far greater concern about the fate of his reelection than the health of the American people."

The signatories — which include former FBI Director William Webster, former Defense Secretary under President Obama Chuck Hagel, and former CIA Director Michael Hayden — also wrote that Trump "solicited foreign influence," "aligned himself with dictators," "disparaged our armed forces, intelligence agencies, and diplomats," "undermined the rule of law," "dishonored the office of the presidency," "divided our nation," "attacked and vilified immigrants," and "imperiled America's security."

"While we – like all Americans – had hoped that Donald Trump would govern wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who put their faith in him and has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term," they stated. "In contrast, we believe Joe Biden has the character, experience, and temperament to lead this nation. We believe he will restore the dignity of the presidency, bring Americans together, reassert America’s role as a global leader, and inspire our nation to live up to its ideals. While some of us hold policy positions that differ from those of Joe Biden and his party, the time to debate those policy differences will come later. For now, it is imperative that we stop Trump’s assault on our nation’s values and institutions and reinstate the moral foundations of our democracy."

According to ABC News, this letter comes just days after former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff under former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Miles Taylor, came out in support of Biden. "Given what I've experienced in the administration, I have to support Joe Biden for president," Taylor said in a video posted and produced by the group Republican Voters Against Trump. "And even though I'm not a Democrat, even though I disagree on key issues, I'm confident that Joe Biden will protect the country, and I'm confident he won't make the same mistakes as this president."