WASHINGTON – In an extraordinary rebuke to President Donald Trump, all 10 ex-defense secretaries alive are warning against any move to involve the military in electoral fraud claims, arguing that this would lead the country into “dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory. . “
The 10 men, both Democrats and Republicans, signed an opinion article published on Sunday in The Washington Post that implicitly questioned Trump’s willingness to fulfill his constitutional duty to give up power peacefully on January 20. After the November 3 election and subsequent or recounts in some states, as well as in unsuccessful judicial disputes, the result is clear, they wrote, although they did not specify Trump in the article.
“The time to question the results has passed; the time has come for the formal counting of the votes of the electoral college, as prescribed in the Constitution and bylaws, ”they wrote.
Former Pentagon chiefs warned against using the military in any effort to change the outcome.
“Efforts to involve the US armed forces in resolving electoral disputes would take us into dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory,” they wrote. “Civilian and military officials who direct or execute such measures would be responsible, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the serious consequences of their actions in our republic.”
The opinion piece was signed by Dick Cheney, William Perry, Donald Rumsfeld, William Cohen, Robert Gates, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Ash Carter, James Mattis and Mark Esper. Mattis was Trump’s first defense secretary; he resigned in 2018 and was succeeded by Esper, who was fired a few days after the November 3 election.
Several senior military officers, including General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have publicly said in recent weeks that the military has no role in determining the outcome of the US election and that its loyalty is to the constitution, not to an individual leader or a political party.
The 10 former Pentagon leaders also warned in their Post article about the dangers of preventing a complete and smooth transition in the Department of Defense before Inauguration Day, as part of the transfer to President-elect Joe Biden. Biden complained about the efforts of Pentagon officials appointed by Trump to obstruct the transition.
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Without mentioning a specific example, former defense secretaries wrote that transfers of power “often occur in times of international uncertainty about US national security policy and posture,” adding, “They can be a time when nation is vulnerable to the actions of opponents who seek to take advantage of the situation. ”
Tensions with Iran represent just that moment. Sunday marked a year since the death of Qassem Soleimani, the main Iranian general; Iran has vowed to avenge the murder, and American officials have said in recent days that they are on high alert for a possible Iranian attack on US forces or interests in the Middle East.
In yet another sign of US-Iran tension, interim defense secretary Christopher Milller announced on Sunday night that he had changed his mind about sending the Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, from the Middle East and instead , will keep the ship in service. Last week, Miller announced that he was sending Nimitz home, a decision that has been contested by senior military officials.
In reverting, Miller cited “recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other US government officials” He did not elaborate and the Pentagon did not answer questions.
The Post reported that the idea of writing the opinion article started with a conversation between Cheney and Eric Edelman, a retired ambassador and former Pentagon officer, about how Trump might try to use the military in the coming days.