More than 70 former national security officials from multiple Republican administrations along with former Republican members of Congress announced Thursday they are endorsing Joe Biden.
The group, Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden, includes former NSA and CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden, former Deputy Secretary of State and Director of National Intelligence Amb. John Negroponte, former CIA and FBI Director William Webster, and former Department of Homeland Security chief of staff under President Trump, Miles Taylor.
“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. 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,” their statement reads.
The group released their endorsement the same day that Biden accepted the Democratic nomination for president on the last night of the party’s convention. They joined other notable Republicans – including former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Secretary of State Colin Powell – who have endorsed Biden.
In addition to officials from the Trump, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan administrations, the group also includes former members of Congress including Reps. Jim Kolbe of Arizona, Christopher Shays of Connecticut and Jim Leach of Iowa.
The group penned a 10-point letter explaining the rationale behind their endorsement, saying Trump has “gravely damaged America’s role as a world leader,” “shown he is unfit to lead during a national crisis,” and “solicited foreign influence and undermined confidence in our presidential elections.”
The statement from Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden ran Friday as a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal.
Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden is a subsidiary of Defending Democracy Together and is also planning a six-figure social media campaign to convince voters in swing states that America can’t sustain four more years of Trump, according to a release.
