Former Vice President Dick Cheney had the idea that nearly a dozen former Pentagon chiefs would write an opinion piece urging current Department of Defense officials to stay out of President TrumpDonald Trump Cotton breaks with Conservative colleagues who will oppose Trump’s vote count to award the Nunes Medal of Freedom: According to Hogan, lawmakers’ “plan” to overturn election results “mocks our system.” MONTHThe offer to overthrow the results of the presidential election, according to one signatory.
“The idea for this statement really originated with Vice President Cheney,” said William J. Perry, who served as Secretary of Defense to former President Clinton.
“Each of us took an oath to support and defend the Constitution; that oath does not change according to the designation of the party,” he added.
The idea for this statement really originated with Vice President Cheney.
Each of us took an oath to support and defend the Constitution; this oath does not change according to the designation of the party. http://t.co/NSsdLkZX9g
– William J. Perry (@ SecDef19) January 4, 2021
In a statement released Sunday, 10 former defense secretaries warned of Trump’s efforts to challenge the election that would lead the country “into dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory.”
“Civilian and military officials who lead or carry out these measures would be responsible, including criminal sanctions, for the serious consequences of their actions in our republic,” the former officials wrote. do what so many generations of Americans have done before. This final action conforms to the highest traditions and professionalism of the American armed forces and to the history of the democratic transition in our great country. “
Two of President Trump’s former defense secretaries, Mark EsperFormer Secretary of Defense Mark Esper10 calls on Pentagon to stay out of election fight in 2020: a year in photos The military plans to unveil more inclusive regulations for hair and preparation for next month: report MORE i James Mattis
James Norman Mattis: 10 former defense secretaries call on the Pentagon to stay out of the Biden election fight to nominate the first deputy deputy to the Senate Secretary of Defense, ready to overturn the veto of Trump’s defense bill MORE, signed the opinion.
Trump has refused to concede his defeat to the president-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCotton breaks with Conservative colleagues who will oppose Trump’s vote count to award the Nunes Medal of Freedom: According to Hogan, lawmakers’ “plan” to overturn election results “mocks our system” MORE, and several GOP lawmakers in both houses of Congress this week will contest the results of the Electoral College.
Courts have found no evidence of widespread election fraud and have ruled several challenges for the Trump campaign.
Trump has been criticized in the past for politicizing the Department of Defense, especially when officials accompanied him to take a photo at a church near the White House after Lafayette Square was forced to protest by police.
Biden’s transition team has also complained about the Pentagon’s lack of cooperation, from which Esper was withdrawn shortly after the election.
Last week, a Biden adviser told NPR that the Pentagon had not met with transitional officers since Dec. 18.
“It goes back to the lack of visibility we have right now on a number of critical issues related to military operations due to DoD obstruction and blockades,” the national security adviser noted. Jake SullivanJake Sullivan Top Five Challenges for Biden in Defense The West Can Use the Economy to Teach China a Lesson on Human Rights in Saudi Arabia for Joe Biden MORE dit.
Cheney, a Republican, has been critical of Trump during his time in the White House, primarily on foreign policy issues.