A group of former aides who identify as "lifelong Republicans" has voiced their concerns about Donald Trump's character and suitability for the presidency, echoing the recent remarks of John Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff. In a letter released on Friday, the more than a dozen former staffers expressed their support for Kelly, who earlier this week labeled Trump a fascist during an interview with the New York Times.
“The revelations General Kelly brought forward are disturbing and shocking. However, knowing Trump and having worked alongside him, we were sadly not surprised by what General Kelly had to say,” the letter states, as reported by Politico.
Among the signatories is Kevin Carroll, a former senior counselor to Kelly. Other notable names include Sarah Matthews, former deputy press secretary; Elizabeth Neumann, former assistant secretary of homeland security; Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director; and Miles Taylor, who authored the controversial book Anonymous warning of Trump's undemocratic behavior early in his presidency. Additional signatories include Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary; Alyssa Farah Griffin, former press secretary to then-Vice President Mike Pence; and Olivia Troye, former national security adviser to Pence.
The letter comes in the wake of Kelly’s interview, where he described Trump’s actions as fitting the definition of fascism. This discussion was sparked by an article in The Atlantic, which detailed former Trump advisers recounting incidents where Trump expressed admiration for the military leaders of Nazi Germany. The article also included Kelly’s criticisms of Trump’s tendency to demean military personnel. The Trump campaign has disputed these claims.
The concerns raised in the letter are part of a broader pattern of alarm regarding Trump’s behavior, echoed by high-profile military and governmental figures such as General Mark Milley, former Defense Secretaries James Mattis and Mark Esper, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and even Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence.
In their letter, the former aides commended General Kelly for illuminating the dangers of a potential second Trump term. They emphasized that their decision to speak out was not made lightly. “As lifelong Republicans who served our country, we believe there are times in history when country must take precedence over party. This is one of those times. Everyone should heed General Kelly’s warning,” the letter concludes.
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