Former Republican National Security Officials Endorse Joe Biden, Issues Indictment Of Donald Trump

Former Republican national security officials have formed a group to endorse former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The group also issued on Thursday a 10-point indictment of Donald Trump to go up against his reelection effort.

Called Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden, the group includes U.S. defense and intelligence officials from the administrations of Republicans Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Trump. Some of the notable officials who signed the indictment include General Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA); William Webster, former chief of the CIA and FBI; and John Negroponte, the first director of National Intelligence.

The signatories criticized Trump for damaging the role of the U.S. as a global leader, for undermining confidence in U.S. elections and for denigrating immigrants. “We are profoundly concerned about our nation’s security and standing in the world under the leadership of Donald Trump,” their statement reads. “The President has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term,” they added.

The group also said Trump lacks the character and competence to lead the country and accused the president of engaging in corrupt behavior that makes him unfit to serve as president. “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 Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden is just one of the several Republican organizations that have stood up against Trump’s reelection in November. The Trump campaign previously described the groups campaigning for Biden, including the Republican Voters Against Trump and the 43 Alumni for Biden, as officials who are only “trying to take down the duly elected President of the United States.”

The formation of the Former Republican National Security Officials for Biden came three days before the opening of Trump’s nominating convention on Monday and 80 days before the November elections. Their expression of support for Biden highlights how Trump, a Republican, has alienated members of his own party, especially among intelligence and foreign policy organizations.