Discontent at the dictatorial bent and lack of maturity repeatedly shown by president Donald Trump has led five of the most respected active-duty and former generals in the United States Armed Forces to publicly assail Trump for being a danger to democracy, the United States and the U.S. Constitution.
Trump's former chief-of-staff John Kelly, who was once a four-star general in the U.S. Marine Corps, on Friday said he agreed with former Defense Secretary James Mattis' scathing criticism of Trump detailed in an opinion piece published in The Atlantic. Kelly's and Mattis' criticism of Trump follows those made by retired general Martin Dempsey, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; retired four-star Marine Corps general John Allen and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley. Gen. Milley assailed Trump for bringing in active-duty U.S. troops for riot control duties in Washington D.C.
In an unprecedented take down of Trump published June 3, Mattis blasted Trump as the first president in his lifetime who hasn't tried to unite the American people. He said Trump does not even pretend to try uniting Americans. Instead, Trump tries to divide us.
Mattis assailed Trump for deliberately trying to divide Americans. He compared Trump's actions to the Nazis whose goal was to "divide and conquer" their enemies. Mattis was also a former four-star general with the Marines.
Mattis said Trump has been engaged in this dangerous divisiness for three years and Americans are witnessing the consequences of this deliberate effort. Mattis called for national unity to thwart Trump.
"We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership," wrote Mattis.
Mattis also denounced Trump's "militarization" of Washington, D.C. He also said Trump abused executive authority by condoning the dispersal of peaceful demonstrators at Lafayette Square to enable his photo-op in front of an Episcopal church. Mattis also urged the U.S. hold accountable officials that would make a mockery of the U.S. Constitution.
Kelly agreed with Mattis' assessment of Trump. To prevent the rise of another Trump, Mattis said Americans need to look harder at who they elect as president. He believes voters should put people running for public office through the filter. Questions to be answered are What is their character like? What are their ethics?
Kelly said he agrees with and supports Mattis' view Trump shouldn't have threatened the use of active-duty U.S. Army troops to quell George Floyd protests. He also said elected leaders need to represent "all of their constituents" and not merely their base, which is a direct attack on Trump's penchant for appealing only to his base of Republican voters.
Gen. Dempsey said the idea the U.S. military had to be called in to dominate and to suppress what were peaceful protests for the most part, and that the military would somehow calm the situation "was very dangerous to me."
