Former U.S. defence secretary Mark Esper has called him a 鈥渢hreat to democracy.鈥 Former national security adviser John Bolton has declared him 鈥渦nfit to be president.鈥 And former vice president Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing 鈥減rofound differences.鈥
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.
It鈥檚 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 it鈥檚 鈥渕ind-boggling鈥 how many members of his senior staff have denounced him.
鈥淭hese are folks who saw him up close and personal and saw his leadership style,鈥 Matthews said.
鈥淭he 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 he鈥檚 unfit to serve for a second term.鈥
Yet the critics remain a distinct minority. Republican lawmakers and officials across the party have endorsed Trump鈥檚 bid 鈥 some begrudgingly, others with fervor and enthusiasm. Many aides and Cabinet officials who served under Trump are onboard for another term, something Trump's campaign is quick to highlight.
鈥淭he majority of the people who served in President Trump鈥檚 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,鈥 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 鈥 including those who backed other candidates during the GOP primary 鈥 that they cannot support his candidacy.
鈥淭hose 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 鈥 we agree,鈥 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 Trump鈥檚 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.
Trump鈥檚 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 鈥淗ang Mike Pence!鈥
Pence recently said he 鈥渃annot in good conscience鈥 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 Trump鈥檚 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 HBO鈥檚 鈥淩eal Time With Bill Maher,鈥 Esper repeated a warning that Trump is 鈥渁 threat to democracy鈥 and added, 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a lot to be concerned about.鈥
鈥淭here鈥檚 no way I鈥檒l vote for Trump, but every day that Trump does something crazy, the door to voting for Biden opens a little bit more, and that鈥檚 where I鈥檓 at,鈥 Esper said.
Among Trump's 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 Trump鈥檚 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.
"Fundamentally, a second Trump term could mean the end of American democracy as we know it, and I don鈥檛 say that lightly,鈥 Griffin told ABC in December.
John Kelly, Trump鈥檚 former chief of staff, had his own long falling-out with Trump. Kelly, in a lengthy October statement to CNN, described Trump as 鈥渁 person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators鈥 and 鈥渉as nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.鈥
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 didn鈥檛 vote for Trump in 2020.
Even Bill Barr, Trump鈥檚 former attorney general who has not ruled out voting for him again, has referred to Trump as 鈥渁 consummate narcissist鈥 who 鈥渃onstantly engages in reckless conduct that puts his political followers at risk and the conservative and Republican agenda at risk.鈥
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 鈥渁dministration in waiting鈥 for a second Trump term.
The institute is headed by Brooke Rollins, Trump鈥檚 former domestic policy chief, and counts Pence鈥檚 national security adviser and retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg among its chairs, along with former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Trump鈥檚 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 鈥渁 friend of America.鈥
Trump鈥檚 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 Trump鈥檚 Office of Management and Budget.
Vought said in a post on X that Trump is 鈥渢he only person I trust to take a wrecking ball to the Deep State.鈥
Trump supporters are also quick to dismiss critics in the party.
Carmen McVane, who attended Trump's 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.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of RINOs who don鈥檛 do what they鈥檙e supposed to do,鈥 McVane said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for everyone to back who we have and go full force ahead.鈥
___
Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Green Bay, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.
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